


the sun embracing the moon

by tenlion



Series: sun & moon [2]
Category: NCT (Band), WAYV, Way V
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Vampire, I live for this universe man, M/M, Sequel, Slight love triangle, Supernatural Elements, Vampires, darkness vs light
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-06-27 02:43:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 33,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19781620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenlion/pseuds/tenlion
Summary: The sun and moon are separated by day and night, but now they are embracing each other as the darkness hunts the moon, and the sun finds his world not as bright as he had thought.Sequel to 'we are the eclipse'





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> buckle up for a ride haha this is so detailed compared to the other one, but i just love this universe and wanted to explore it some more

”We shouldn’t do this here.” Ten breathed but his body was betraying him. His hands did not push but they grabbed onto the dark grey fabric, pulling at it, tugging the taller figure closer. Their mouths met, and their voices were muffled. The shelf Ten had been thrown against creaked and threatened to throw things at them but none of them minded. The art supply room was theirs every Friday and they kept the door barricaded just for safety.

  
A small narrow window let in the cool autumn air and Ten relished in the smell of Winwin, he smelled like fresh rain with a hint of something sweet. His cold knuckles brushed against Ten’s skin when they unbuttoned his pants and tugged them down. Ten shuffled to the side followed by the moon-child who was undoing in his own pants while moving. Ten jumped on the counter beside the sink where they cleaned the pencils every Friday. They were all drying after they had done their work. Ten kicked off one shoe and let his pants slide off so that he could allow Winwin in between his legs. The moon-child’s black eyes were taking in the sight in as if it were the first time. There was surprise as if they had not made love many times before.  
  
Ten had learned his lesson from the first time they received the job of cleaning the art room. He had not been drinking Starlight before they rushed to be united and they ended up spending too much time on getting ready before they had to be out of the room. He had been in the bathroom in the class before this one using his own fingers to ready himself, thinking about the moon-child and his beautiful eyes, his wide shoulders and narrow hips. Ten hid the bottle of lubricant in the inside of his pocket and hurried off to Advanced Art, hoping this would help.  
  
Winwin slipped in easily and he groaned, brows bunched up and hands gripping Ten’s hips. “What did you do?” He managed to ask and Ten reached up his hands to wrap his arms around the other’s neck.  
  
“I got myself ready for you.” He purred against Winwin’s ear and he felt the other twitch inside of him.  
  
“Let’s see if we make it out in time.”

The two of them were swaying down the hallway, giggling and leaning on things for support. They only had 20 minutes to clean up and enjoy their private moment, so now they were both high on the pleasures they had given each other. It clouded their minds and for a moment; the two of them felt brave. In the staircase, just by the door the moon-child pulled the sun-child close and kissed him. 

Ten was reminded of the two moon-children kissing in primary school, such an innocent kiss they had shared in secret. Now he felt that same feeling and he saw his own face glow in the dark eyes looking at him.  
  
“See you at the party tomorrow?” Winwin asked and Ten nodded a little too eagerly for his own taste, but he could not care when the smile that lit up Winwin’s face looked so happy.  
  
“As always.” Ten gave the other a peck on his cheek and quickly bounced down the hall towards his exit while the vampire went down the stairs to the tunnel leading him towards his home.

Johnny waited for Ten by the gates every day. So it wasn’t a weird sight. They walked home together often if they missed the bus or if they did not feel like taking the bus with the other sun-children.  
Now Ten could not help but feel shame and guilt as he walked up to the taller boy. He could not help but feel a little loathing towards the other as well. Not only because he sent sun-children after Winwin but also because he was so damn perfect.  
  
He was dating that stupid short-haired sun-child called Nina with her golden curls and blue eyes and sun-kissed skin, truly she was every parent's dream to bring home. She was taller than Ten though and he hated whenever she wore her heels just so she could look down at him and say: “If it isn’t our adored little sunshine, Ten.” As if she was the aunt that he never saw and never liked, but he had to tolerate her bullshit because she was family. Ten did have an aunt like that.  
  
Ten wasn’t sure as to why Johnny would even hang out with her. She had her interests and her hobbies but the subjects she thought were important were never something Ten had heard Johnny talk about. He also had this weird expression whenever she clung to his arm and talked about something Ten doesn’t deem worth remembering. Often she was waiting with him by the gate, somehow convinced she would make this walk home more enjoyable.

She wasn’t there this time. Johnny stood in his white clothes and kicked pebbles off the sidewalk.  
  
Ten wanted to tell Johnny to stop waiting for him, especially because Ten knew his deodorant can’t keep off the scent of Winwin. There was something distinctly different about the smell of a sun-child and a moon-child. Ten could not pin-point it but it was like the different scent of summer and winter.

Johnny smiled down at Ten and his eyes seemed to wander his body. “You’ve got paint on your jacket.” He said and stepped around Ten. The smaller tensed up when Johnny’s hand graced his shoulder. “And your pants too, what do you do in those Art classes?”  
  
Ten wanted to get going. “Advanced Art.” He stated simply and started walking. Johnny kept up with the other’s pace easily.  
  
“Oh, ‘Advanced Art’ what do you do then? ‘Advanced Messes’ too? You’re full of paint every Friday.”  
  
Ten took note in the back of his mind that he needed to be more careful when jumping up on tables and maybe he should tell Winwin to watch it before throwing him against shelves and other objects. Clearly, it left not just marks on Ten’s skin but his clothes too.  
  
“Have you ever known me as being careful?” Ten decided to ask and saw Johnny’s eyes light up. A million memories of their shared childhood appearing before his eyes.  
  
“You’ve always been messy.” He said with a grin and bumped his elbow into Ten’s arms gently. Ten looked up at the taller, wondering if he pretended not to know on purpose or if he truly did not know that Winwin was the one helping Ten clean the Art classroom.

“So,” Johnny began. “You and that moon-child.”  
  
“We’re fine.” Ten stated before he could finish. He did not want any lessons form Johnny. Especially now that he was in a relationship with the most annoying person in the World.  
  
Johnny took two long strides and ended up in front of Ten, forcing Ten to stop. “Listen,” he began, a hand out and a struggled expression on his face. He looked like he was trying to explain a math problem he did not understand. “What do you do when you’re together?”  
  
Ten took a step back and eyed the taller. Johnny seemed to be genuinely interested. How could he tell this tall fool that whenever he was with Winwin they were doing stuff the Sun could never know. He’d be thrown to the streets if his parents knew.  
  
“Couple things.” Ten decided to say. He wasn’t satisfied with his own reply.  
  
Johnny looked confused. “So you’re a couple now?”  
  
Ten grimaced. “In a way?” He replied and before he would instantly combust, he quickly hurried around Johnny on the sidewalk and continued on their journey home. He could never outrun the taller who was by his side immediately.  
  
“He does not harm you?”  
  
“I have told you!” Ten snapped and looked up in disbelief. “He is kind to me.”  
  
“I am kind to you?”  
  
Ten slapped his palm to his forehead. “You idiot. You should know how I feel. Don’t you feel this with Nina?”  
  
Johnny stopped and Ten had to turn around. Johnny wore that expression again. As if Ten was the teacher, asking Johnny to answer a question he was not prepared to answer. That he maybe had never thought about.  
  
Ten frowned. “Why are you even with her?”  
  
Johnny’s face went from confused to hostile. Ten knew he should not prod further at the warning look in Johnny’s eyes. He was always clear about his boundaries and Ten knew this was one of them. Never question Johnny’s actions.  
  
“Sorry,” Ten gave in and it seemed to ease up the other’s shoulders. Johnny started walking again, eyes fixed on the ground. Ten decided to let Johnny off the hook. He could think his answer through and maybe Ten would get a reply one day.

Ten did not wait by the lake anymore. They were too exposed by the lake. He would go to the edge of the woods and wait by the path they always took. Winwin did not want him wandering into the cabin alone and without the moon-child’s protection. Ten knew that the senior students were more hostile to each other than the younger students, and that senior moon-children loved scaring weak-minded sun-children and that the senior sun-children did all they could to shine a bad light at their fellow classmates.  
  
The more Ten was with Winwin, he believed that they weren’t that different. Ten lived in harmony with animals as his other sun-children did and the moon-children took their offerings once a month, but after the war ended, they weren’t brutal anymore and acted more… civil.  
  
Ten looked down at his glass of Stardust. It glowed a pale blue and purple.  
  
“Who are you waiting for?”  
  
Ten felt a cold clammy touch run down his back and he pushed himself off the tree. In front of him stood a pale boy with blonde pushed back hair and beautiful face. Ten eyed him and then the lake in the distance. “Do I have to be waiting for someone?” He asked and the boy smiled, dimples carved into his cheeks that looked soft. As soft as marble figures look in the Town Hall. He shook his head.  
  
“You looked like you were waiting.” He said, his voice like velvet and his dark eyes glinting. There was something mischievous about him and also something warm.  
  
Ten knew his name but had forgotten it. He was in two of his classes, so he was a junior and he was pretty popular among the girls. Even the sun-children. His charms and beauty were not to be underestimated, this was his weapon. Moon-children were gifted socially and physically in order to lure in their victims. It was in their biology. It was who they were. Some thought it was against their nature not to use these gifts proudly, but it was forbidden. They were as regular and boring as the sun-children now.  
  
“I’m Jaehyun,” the boy said with a curl of his lips and Ten felt stupid.  
  
“Sorry, I am terrible at names.” He tried to laugh it off and earned a chuckle from Jaehyun.  
  
“That is okay, I am not that important anyway.” He said with a grin, he meant it genuinely. “You’re Ten, right?”  
  
Ten nodded. “In the flesh.” He said and noticed a twitch at the corner of Jaehyun’s lips, but then Jaehyun chuckled and Ten felt proud of being a humorous being.  
  
“Did you want to go to the cabin?” He asked and Ten inhaled, imagining if Winwin was already there. Maybe he could go with Jaehyun? Meet Winwin there?  


“Hey, Ten.”  
  
Ten suppressed a groan. He had told Johnny to leave him alone at the parties. He did not want another round of sun-children ganging up on a moon-child. Ten turned around to see the other’s tall figure lean on the tree Ten stood by. With his back to the moon, his face was in the shade, but Ten could see the way he seized Jaehyun up.  
  
Jaehyun seemed unfazed by Johnny’s demeanor. “What up, Cap.” He greeted the other and Ten remembered Jaehyun’s connection to the world. He was on the soccer team with Johnny, they had Gym and Literature together.  
  
Johnny made a half-hearted salute before he turned to Ten. “We’re going back early, Nina threw up and Kun’s girl didn’t show.”  
  
Ten eyed Jaehyun before looking at the dark path behind the moon-child. She wasn’t the only one who did not show up.  
  
“Coming,” Ten told the taller and noticed the other lingering. He gave Johnny a look and watched the taller let his eyes roll upwards before he turned on his heel and walked back towards Torn. Jaehyun gave Ten a smile when Ten looked at him. “I understand.” He said and Ten sighed.  
  
“The night is not our forte,” Ten shrugged. “I should go with my friends.”  
  
“That is a wise choice,” Jaehyun said and reached out to grab Ten’s drink, his cold fingers coming in contact with Ten’s and sending goosebumps over his skin. “I’ll finish this for you.”  
  
Ten chuckled a little breathlessly. He stepped backward, and Jaehyun gave him a small wave.  
  
“Be safe!” Jaehyun called out imitating a mother’s tone of voice and Ten couldn’t help but laugh.  
  
“I promise,” Ten replied and ran back to Torn. He was glad Jaehyun showed up. It made Winwin’s absence less strong. It was the first time. Ten had seen him just yesterday so he shouldn’t worry. He’d see him in class next Tuesday, or in the halls if he were lucky.

He did not see him in the halls that Monday. He was tip-toeing, trying to look above the masses of student bodies, but no boy with wine-red hair and dark grey clothes could be found among them. Ten rubbed his stomach, feeling a little uneasy.  
  
In Literature class he found himself getting the company of Jaehyun. The other looked very different in daylight, his blonde hair was parted in the side and swept back. He took a seat beside Ten and the sun-child knew that Johnny and Kun would be confused because they always sat together before class started. Jaehyun sat on the table and looked down at Ten. “I’m glad to see you got home in one piece.”  
  
Ten chuckled, reminded of the joke Jaehyun made as they said their goodbyes. “It’s not like you get torn apart.” Ten said and leaned in playfully. “Just sucked dry.”  
  
Jaehyun frowned. “Sure sounds like a terrible way to die.”  
  
“Yeah, right? Imagine the dangers that lurk out there in the night.”  
  
“Man, I sure am spooked now.” Jaehyun faked shuddering and glanced across the room. Ten noticed Johnny and Kun enter.  
  
Ten bit down on his lip before taking the chance. “Have you seen Winwin?” He asked.  
  
Jaehyun looked surprised. “Not on my way to school no. We usually take the same tunnels.” Jaehyun did not remove his gaze, he was following something. Ten looked back to see that it was Johnny. The two of them were having some kind of staring contest. Ten rolled his eyes and huffed. “That is odd.”  
  
“Could be because he’s at that time of the month,” Jaehyun said in a nonchalant voice and finally looked away, pushing himself off the table. “We are from the same clan. We’re supposed to wait another week before feeding, but sometimes if you’ve exhausted your energy you run dry.” He explained. “When did you last see him?” He then asked.  
  
Ten hummed. “Friday after class.”  
  
“And he hasn’t sent you a letter?”  
  
Ten frowned. “Can you do that? I did not even know you could send letters across the border.”  
  
Jaehyun eyed Johnny and Kun approaching. Then he looked at Ten. “I’ll check up on him for you if you need it?”  
  
“You would?” Ten asked and tried to mask the hopeful tone in his voice. He needed to seem casual. “That would be cool.” He tried, but it came out awkward.  
  
Jaehyun merely grinned. “You’re friends?” He asked and Ten nodded. “Are you a moon-child in hiding? I like you, you’re cool.” He said and backed out of the row to get to his own seat in the other side of the room. Johnny came incredibly close and stared down at Jaehyun warningly before moving in to sit beside Ten.  
  
“The heck he is he trying to get from you?”  
  
Ten frowned, putting out a hand with his palm facing upwards. “He’s just being friendly.”  
  
“Exactly,” Johnny said as if he made sense.  
  
Kun leaned over the table to look at Ten. “I know you’re cool with moon-children now, but Jaehyun is no good.” He said and Johnny pointed at Kun to emphasize. Ten glared at the other in annoyance. “He has a habit of not coming to school a few days after our Torn parties and he’s the son of a Clan leader. There are so many rumors about him drugging sun-children and bringing them to something they call: The Cabin.”  
  
Ten frowned. He did not sense that from Jaehyun. He just seemed a little odd, but Winwin was odd too in his own charming way. “Do you have any proof?” Ten asked challengingly. Kun and Johnny looked at him questioningly, but they could not prove their case. “We seriously need to stop judging the moon-children like this, you’re acting like the seniors.”  
  
“And you’re acting like they are all good guys,” Johnny muttered.  
  
Ten’s eyes widened. He turned around to face Johnny, ready to defend himself when the teacher walked in. Johnny looked at him, looking like a wounded puppy. He had that look that a kid had when they talked back to their parents. Ten could not contain the anger inside of him and before the teacher could even tell them about the theme for the day, he was up.  
  
“Yes, Ten?” The teacher looked at him and Ten bowed.  
  
“Can I be excused?” He asked he sounded like someone was stepping on his toe as he spoke or like someone who was on the brink of crying. Either way, the teacher nodded and Ten stormed out of the classroom.

He found his way to the Art classroom which was fortunately empty. He hopped up into the windowsill and sat there for the rest of the lesson. After the class ended he decided to go grab his things and make sure he got on the bus that day.

Which Johnny had foreseen. Ten choked the groan down when the taller dropped into the seat. Kun had his Advanced class, so he would be missing the bus. 

“Can you blame me?”  
  
“Yes, yes, I can.” Ten snapped. “History is history because something is over. The war is over and so we should act like it. They are people too. Yeah, we have different Gods and different ways of survival, but these people gave up their ways of living so that we could live in harmony with them. Have you not been listening to Mrs. Key at all?”  
  
Johnny sighed. “It will take many years more before we’re gonna ignore our instincts and live with them as if they were not our worst enemy.” He spoke through gritted teeth. Ten was surprised that they both restrained themselves from shouting. “We can’t all be as naïve as you.”  
  
“Naïve?!” Ten exclaimed and shut his mouth and looked away from the curious glances they received. “You’re naïve for believing every word that comes out of your parents’ mouths! Try making your own opinions and stop judging people for the shade of their clothing!”  
  
The bus slowed to a stop at a street with large villa houses that were spread apart. They looked like any of the other houses in Sun Valley.  
  
Johnny gripped Ten’s wrist and dragged him out of the bus and Ten tried to protest but in order not to gather any more unwanted attention he followed. The students that got off at their usual stop eyed the two.  
  
Ten fought his way out of Johnny’s grip as he was dragged across the road. As soon as his arm was free he couldn’t stop shouting. “Why are you trying to control everything I do?!” Ten was not just angry anymore, he felt betrayed. “You are my friend! Let me be happy!”  
  
Johnny had his back to him. They were standing in the middle of the road, surrounded by white buildings, white fences, and tall green hedges. The taller sun-child spun around and his bangs fell over his eyes. “I’m trying to protect you, Ten! Can’t you see that this happiness is limited? That it’s dangerous?”  
  
Ten squinted. “You’re the one making it dangerous!” Ten could barely breathe. “If only you minded your own damn business, then I could live in peace and not constant paranoia!”  
  
Johnny stepped closer. “I make you paranoid?” He asked and pointed at himself. “And those monsters do not?”  
  
Ten shot forward, pushing against Johnny’s chest. The taller barely budged. “Don’t call them that!”  
  
“They are what they are!” Johnny’s voice boomed. This was wrong. Fighting like this under a blue sky was wrong. With the sun beating down on them with its gentle autumn rays they were like two dark clouds.  
  
“You’re unbelievable!” Ten growled and started stomping towards his home. Johnny didn’t miss a beat.  
  
“Is it because they are the only ones who can give you what you want?”  
  
Ten stumbled and nearly fell face first onto the pavement. Johnny’s hands were strong, they corrected him, keeping him upright. Now they stood close, and Ten felt a shift in the atmosphere. There was an opening, space for reason, space for reconciliation. Ten felt like he was walking on thin ice though. Something was about to break, something he had not been able to see was just underneath the clear ice.  
  
“I’m not that fucking easy, Johnny.” Ten hissed and looked up into the other’s eyes. “Or maybe I am, but I am comfortable in my own skin.” Ten tried to read the other’s expression. “Are you?”

He did it again. He questioned Johnny’s actions and he was ready to face whatever defense Johnny put up. This time he would get to the bottom of the lake. He would break the fucking ice.

“I’m not,” Johnny admitted and Ten fell right through the ice without warning.

“You’re not?” Ten repeated. Unable to believe what he had just heard.

“I broke up with Nina yesterday.”  
  
Ten blinked, unable to fathom this turn of events. “That was quick.” He muttered.  
  
Johnny went quiet before he spoke. “Don’t risk your life for love.” He inhaled shakily. “It isn’t just under the moon that you can receive the love you seek, Ten.”  
  
Their gazes met and Ten was looking into Johnny’s eyes with his jaw slack and his eyebrows tensing up. Before Johnny could reach out for him he was fleeing. He sprinted down the street and this time the taller did not catch up with him.


	2. Chapter 2

Ten was unable to sit still as he sat in Advanced Art, waiting for students to file in. He kept his eyes on the door and he was twirling a pencil between his fingers. He had not gotten any sleep and he was not surprised to find Johnny absent when he took the bus that morning. His mind had kept replaying the words that had been said and the events leading up to their fight. He did not want to believe it. He did not want to understand what Johnny had been saying. What he was indicating.

Students came in, and some of them greeted Ten, but the sun-child could see they were frowning at his antsy state. Ten was almost muttering a prayer under his breath. Time passed by slowly, but Winwin did not show.   
  
Ten got up from his seat. The teacher walked inside and Ten was losing his mind. “Did Winwin call in sick, Mrs. Joan?”   
  
The woman looked at him, she wore white. “He did not notify me of his absence, has he not been to the previous classes?” She asked a female student. She shook her head. “I’ll note that down.”  
  
Ten wanted to scream.

“Ten,” Kun pleaded the other as Ten was moving past the bodies in the hallway. “Ten, will you tell me what is going on?” He asked and Ten stopped so abruptly, Kun bumped into him.   
  
“Johnny and I had a fight and I have decided not to be friends with him anymore.” Ten muttered bitterly and moved into a staircase that led them up to the roof.   
  
“What do you mean? You have been friends since birth, you can’t just not be friends?” Kun’s voice turned shrill. “The world must be ending! This can only be another nightmare.” He then muttered and Ten groaned.   
  
“It’s not a nightmare, even though it damn feels like one.” He explained. “Johnny is an idiot. The biggest of them all.” (And so is Winwin.) Ten wanted to add.   
  
“Ten,” Kun said looking like he had lost the last bit of his patience. “I know Johnny has been protective lately, but you’ve also been leaving Torn every time we’re there and you are getting cozy with Jaehyun the weirdest moon-child of them all.”   
  
“He is pretty normal, Kun.”  
  
The other boy shook his head. “No, not to me.” He said. “And I’m not being Johnny-all-moon-children-are-monsters while saying this, but he creeps me out.”  
  
“Maybe it’s because you’re attracted to him.”  
  
Kun made an expression that Ten would’ve laughed at, but this was not the time. “Sure, he’s handsome but so is most moon-children. Where-as we’re just charming and sometimes a little pretty, but they are like marble statues that have been worked on for 100 years before they come to life.”  
  
“Sure sounds like you hate moon-children.” Ten said sarcastically.  
  
Kun shook his head to concentrate. “They are too perfect. We know that was how they managed to survive and get their prey, but now with the numbers that they have, it’s time evolution gave us a chance.”  
  
“Where is this conversation going?”   
  
Kun shrugged. “I’m just saying that not only does Jaehyun has the benefit of his looks, but he sure manages to charm people… but it does not work on me. All my instincts tell me to grab a wooden spear and force it through his chest and that is very brutal of me to say, but man he scares me.”   
  
Ten could not make a joke out of this, because Kun looked genuinely afraid. “That’s how I feel about Anne the Senior.”   
  
Kun’s eyes widened. “She is so intimidating!”   
  
The two of them looked at each other before they chuckled. Kun wrapped an arm around Ten’s shoulders. “I will let you and Johnny work it out on your own. I’ve got my own problems. Maja has not answered my letters, nor did she show up in Advanced Math. I think she must be really ill.”   
  
“She’s missing?” Ten asked and Kun shrugged. “Her parents have not reported it. I would know with my mom being a Sun council member.”   
  
Kun shook his head, he looked troubled. “I don’t get it. It was going so well.”  
  
Ten leaned against the railing and looked out upon the view of the apartment buildings and dark castles at the other side of the Starcrossed forest. He too had thought it was going well with Winwin. What could this all mean?

  
Kun turned to Ten. “Eat dinner with your parents tonight.” He pleaded. “See if they know anything.”

Ten nodded. “Okay.”

Ten usually ate alone. His parents came home late and Ten was hungry early, so it was just a deal everyone agreed on. 

  
Tonight, he would wait until they came home and also avoid his bedroom which faced Johnny’s house. He had noticed that the blinds were down, and he knew it was Johnny’s way of avoiding Ten.   
  
He placed his forehead on the cool surface of the kitchen counter. “Why did you say those things?”

His mother was a beautiful lady, his father as Kun described: Charming looking. They were happy in their marriage and wished for Ten to find that kind of marriage as well, but Ten knew he would have to disappoint them. He’d move to the end of town where all the single sad people lived and died. 

Maybe he would wander to the East and see what the world looked like.   
  
His mother did not cook. His dad did that and so he ended up sitting with her by the kitchen counter as she sorted through work papers. A thick leather book lied to her left and Ten looked at it, wondering what information it contained.   
  
“How is school?” She asked when she looked up from her work and saw him looking. Looking into her eyes was like looking at his own reflection. He resembled her so much.  
  
“As usual.” He said.   
  
“Johnny’s dad said that Johnny stayed home from school today.” Ten’s father chimed in. “Know what’s up with him?”  
  
“He broke up with his girlfriend,” Ten lied.   
  
Ten’s mother sighed. “That’s terrible. When we were young; couples that got together stayed together…” She went quiet and then spoke with a tone Ten did not like. “Could it be because of the union?”   
  
“Mom,” Ten pleaded. “We’ve made friends with the moon-children – whether you like it or not,” Ten added when his mother gave him a look. “They are kids just like us. We’re still not as mixed as hoped, but we’ll get there. It’s for a better future, right?”   
  
His parents seemed to collectively sigh. “Son,” his father began. “We would’ve all died if it wasn’t for the union, but you have to remember what separates us.”   
  
“A forest?”  
  
“Our nature.” His mother stated. “We are creatures of the light. We live in harmony with animals and we strive during the day.” (“I know what we are.” Ten muttered but his mother continued.) “Their people are still divided into Clans and there are three powerful families running their town. Everyone who’s thrown out of their Clan is hunted. We just found a moon-child in the basement of a house. He had run away from his Clan which was trying to end his life.”  
  
Ten felt his heartbeat rise. “When?”  
  
“This weekend.”   
  
Ten couldn’t breathe. “What will you do with him?”  
  
His mother seemed to realize her mistake. “I have said too much.”  
  
“No please,” Ten reached over the papers to take her hand. “Mom, what will you do with him?”  
  
“We’re afraid he cannot go to school. Maybe the moon-children will do the job of their parents? Also, he’s currently staying at the Town Hall, we do not know where to bring h-”  
  
“Bring him here.” Ten said with too much enthusiasm so he tried to calm himself. “I mean, I am not uncomfortable around moon-children and I know for a fact that no other families are like that. Also, then I won’t eat alone anymore.”  
  
“Do you perhaps know him?” His dad asked, noticing his eagerness.   
  
“Someone from my Advanced Art class did not show today. If it’s him I’m cool with it.”  
  
“He won’t tell us his name.”   
  
“Can I see if it’s him?” He asked and looked at his parents that were exchanging looks. His mother grabbed the book and packed her stuff.  
  
“We’ll go right after dinner,” she promised. Ten needed to take a deep breath to contain himself. If it was really Winwin, then he was in danger, and then Jaehyun had lied to him. If they were in the same Clan, then Jaehyun knew that Winwin had been outed.

They took the car. Its motor roared to life and it’s curved long front had two round lights that looked like a pair of enchanted eyes. His dad joined them. He did not work in the Town Hall, but now it was a family issue and he did not want Ten and his mother to go alone.   
  
Ten felt a little childish joy inside of him, sitting in the backseat, driving with his parents. They did not do this often. The last time they drove together it was for a wedding on the other side of town.

Ten crawled out and shuddered in the cool night air. The large long windows beside the rounded main entrance were letting light shine down upon the pale granite staircase. Ten was drawn towards the golden doors with such a need, he almost couldn’t slow his steps. His mother was allowed in by the guards and Ten needed to grip onto his left hand in order to contain his curiosity. “He’s in the office.” His mother explained and Ten stopped himself from reaching out and supporting himself against the wall. His parents were watching his reaction, so he faked a smile.   
  
They passed by another set of guards, both holding long wooden spears. Ten felt unnerved by that and wondered if Winwin felt even more hated in this town compared to his own. They entered the office which was a large room full of robust-looking desks and lit up by warm lights. Ten was captivated by the writing machines, he’d always been fascinated by those.   
  
At the other end of the office sat a man clad in white, he had blue eyes and blond hair. It was Nina’s father. In a seat in front of him, sat a boy with his back to them. His wine-colored hair and dark torn clothes was enough for Ten to gasp the other’s name. It was merely a breath of air, but the other heard it clearly.   
  
Ten watched him turn around in his seat, his face pale and his dark eyes full of hope. He got up on his feet at the sight of Ten and the sun-child wondered if the other would run into his arms and if that would blow his cover of saying that the other was a casual friend.   
  
Yet as soon as Ten said Winwin’s name the other’s beautiful face seemed to fall. Winwin’s lips curled downwards and his eyes squeezed shut. He let out a low cry and Ten instinctively ran forwards to comfort the other. Winwin fell into his embrace, face buried in his shoulder. Ten couldn’t believe that he saw the other cry in front of adults, but he guessed that they would get to know each other. Not just because of their mutual need for each other, but now their affection seemed to deepen. Ten stood with Winwin’s life in his hands. The other was his responsibility now.

“He’ll stay with us until we figure something out.” Ten’s mother told Nina’s father and Ten bit down on his lip when Winwin let out a sob of joy. He was gripping Ten’s shirt even tighter and Ten ran his hand up and down the other’s back.   
  
“Let’s go home.” He told the other. “You’re safe with us.” _You’re safe with me._

The drive home was surreal to Ten. His parents could not see that in the darkness of the backseat, he was holding onto Winwin’s hand, caressing the back of it with his other hand. The moon-child rested his head on Ten’s shoulder. Ten’s father had wanted to assist Ten with Winwin but the moon-child fled his touch with a small cry of a scared child. Ten’s heart broke at the look on his father’s face and the way the moon-child trembled against his side. This was wrong. This was not in any way right. What had they done to him?

  
Ten brought the other upstairs. His mother went to the kitchen to get leftovers until she realized that Winwin would probably not like vegetable soup.   
  
“We don’t have anything he can eat.” She said in a horrified whisper and Ten looked down at her.   
  
“He’ll be okay without.” He assured her. “We’ll find something for him tomorrow.”   
  
She nodded. “That sounds good.” Ten smiled at her and noticed her eyes flicker to Winwin. “Shouldn’t he sleep in the guest room?”  
  
Ten pointed with his free hand. “He’s literally glued to my side.”  
  
She chuckled. “I’ll have your dad bring a mattress into your room.”  
  
“Thank you, mom.”

Ten’s room was dark when they entered. He went over to turn on some light after forcing Winwin to sit on the bed. The other was still letting out quiet whimpers and Ten was reminded of the time he found him surrounded by sun-children, abused by their violence and prejudice.   
  
He went to the curtains and grabbed each one, looking through the window to the other source of light outside.   
  
Johnny stood in his window, leaning out and looking right at Ten.  
  
Ten pulled the curtains shut without another thought.

The sun-child turned around, with slow steps he moved closer to the moon-child and with tentative hands he lifted the other’s chin. His forehead was bruised, scrapes looking like he had fallen face first into the ground. His skin was a blueish color and the blood that came to the surface almost black. Tears clung to his eyelashes and dirt seemed to have gathered in his hair. His left ear had a tear in it and the corner of his mouth were swollen. Ten inhaled deeply before he wiped away dried blood from the corner of Winwin’s nose, knowing well that those black eyes looking as deep as the lake was watching him. He knew it was risky and that his father could come in at this second, but he was leaning down, and as gentle as he could he pecked the moon-child’s lips and cupped his face.   
  
“I was so worried.” He whispered and felt Winwin’s hands on his hips.   
  
“I’m sorry-”  
  
“Don’t apologize.” Ten pleaded. “I’m just happy that I found you. That you came to me.”   
  
“You were the only thing I could think of.” The other’s deep voice seemed to scrape the very bottom, hoarse from crying.   
  
Ten shushed him and held the other’s head to his stomach. He combed through the wine-colored locks. “I’m here now.”

Knocks on the door forced them to part. Ten was grateful for his father respecting his privacy. He called for the other to come in and saw his father stand with a rolled-up mattress and an extra comforter. “I will stay home from work tomorrow.” He said in a gentle voice. “You can stay home from school if you want to.”  
  
Ten shook his head. “No, I think it’s best that I’m still going.” He said. “I believe that mother is right. The students at the school cannot be trusted. I will have to act normal.”   
  
His father looked worried. “We shouldn’t have brought him home.”  
  
“We’re doing the right thing, dad.” Ten assured the other. His father didn’t seem entirely convinced but he bid them both goodnight and Ten got the sleeping spot ready for Winwin. He took the liberty of locking his door before he dragged the moon-child to his bathroom.

“They are after me,” Winwin said while squinting in the bright lights of the bathroom. He dropped to sit at the edge of the bathtub. Ten wetted a small towel and went to work on the moon-child’s face. The other winced. “Have anyone approached you?”  
  
Ten sighed before nodding. “Kun and Johnny were right.” He said bitterly. He did not like imagining the scenario of him telling them that Jaehyun indeed had wanted something from Ten. “Jaehyun appeared at the Torn. At our meeting spot.” He stated and noticed Winwin tense up, his eyes full of fear and something very similar to anger.   
  
“Did he hurt you?” He asked.  
  
Ten shook his head. “He also spoke to me in school. He seemed very casual, but I’m sure he was waiting for me to reveal your whereabouts.”   
  
Winwin leaned out of reach from the towel and closed his eyes. “He knows.” He said through gritted teeth and Ten shook his head and pulled the other close again.   
  
“He knows that I’m friends with you.” Ten ignored the look in Winwin’s eyes. “And I asked him if he had seen you, so he also knows that I’ve noticed your absence. But I’m sure he saw through the fact that I didn’t know what had happened to you.” Ten glanced up at Winwin. The other was looking down at him with what would look like a stoic expression, but he was troubled. Ten sensed that as he worked on the other’s hands. “I had no idea…” Ten whispered, turning the other’s long fingers and looking at the cuts in his palms. “I knew nothing.”   
  
“Don’t blame yourself.” Winwin pleaded in a deep voice, almost warning the other not to.  
  
“Why would they do this to you?” Ten asked, straightening his back so that he could look into the other’s eyes. “Don’t you have a family?”  
  
There was a tug at the corners of Winwin’s mouth. “I have my mom.” He said and then his shoulders dropped. “Had..” He corrected himself.  
  
“What does that mean?” Ten gasped.  
  
Winwin got up abruptly and he swayed as if his knees couldn’t carry his weight. Ten pulled the other close by his waist, supporting him. Winwin stared at Ten’s reflection in the mirror. What Ten was holding almost made him flinch. The moon-child glowed like he was made of moondust, and his eyes were completely black, and fangs visible when he opened his mouth. He looked like a nightmare.   
  
Ten knew the other had seen his reaction and he tried to collect himself. “I thought you didn’t have a reflection.”  
  
The boy huffed. “There are specks of silver in this mirror. Revealing hidden dangers.”   
  
Ten gawped and stared at the edges of the huge mirror, almost expecting some magical light to appear, but it did not flicker nor did it talk. Ten directed Winwin’s hands to the counter before he rummaged through his drawers for an extra toothbrush.

Ten crawled beneath his covers and watched Winwin limp his way towards the mattress on the floor.   
  
“Sleep with me,” Ten said before he could stop himself. The moon-child’s eyes snapped to meet his and it made Ten hold his breath as the other changed direction.   
  
Winwin crawled beneath the covers. He placed his head on the large pillow that Ten had and in the dim lighting, they lied face to face, looking at each other. Ten still was in a state of disbelief. Never did he think he would have a boy beside him in his bed. Other than when Kun and Johnny had come over when they were younger.   
  
Still, this was not his childhood friends. This was the beautiful creature from Ten’s dreams. This was the boy who made Ten’s heart blossom. This was the boy that had pulled him close and kissed him when he thought he would never be kissed. When he thought he was the lonely moon the lake was there for him and it embraced him. He was other-worldly and perfect and flawed and simple. Ten wanted to call him his and he wanted to belong to the other.   
  
Winwin moved closer, supporting himself on his lower arm before leaning down and catching Ten’s lips with his own. Ten felt like he was standing naked outside in the cold night surrounded by stars. He felt a hunger he could only satisfy by taking in everything that was the boy beside him. Winwin pulled away and dropped his head to the pillow. Ten almost audibly whined.   
  
“Your parents are nervous.” His deep voice said. “They are frightened of me.”  
  
“They’ll learn not to be.” Ten assured the other and moved closer. Winwin wrapped an arm around Ten’s waist.   
  
“I won’t harm you,” Winwin promised. “So, I cannot hold you close tonight.”  
  
Ten knew the other was cold-blooded, but when he left the bed felt cold and empty. Ten sat up to watch the other take a spot on the mattress. For a moment he felt heartbroken. Then it dawned on him. “You’re hungry.” He gasped.  
  
“Starving.” The moon-child growled underneath his covers.   
  
Ten bit down on his bottom lip.   
  
“Stop thinking and go to sleep,” Winwin instructed, his voice muffled by the comforter. “I don’t want to listen to your ideas.”  
  
“I was- not coming up with any ideas.” Ten retorted childishly and scooted over to the lamp on his bedside table. He flicked it off to let them be embraced by the darkness.   
  
“Goodnight, my sun.”  
  
Ten suppressed a smile. “Goodnight, my moon.”


	3. Chapter 3

Ten froze by the gate in front of his house when he saw the long figure of his friend stand by the pick-up spot. He wondered if Johnny had seen Winwin in his room. If he had; he would have to make sure the taller said nothing.  
  
He cautiously walked closer and looked away when the other noticed his arrival.  
  
“Hey,” said the idiot.  
  
“Morning,” Ten said and side-eyed the other. Something about the way the other acted was a stark difference to his usual behavior and Ten was not sure if he liked this angsty version of his best friend.

The bus came rolling down the hill and Ten entered first. To his dismay, Johnny dropped down to sit beside him. Kun would be picked up later.  
  
Ten resorted to silence, he did not want to talk with the other. He was still angry with him. To be exact he felt disappointed and betrayed.  
  
Johnny turned towards him and Ten kept his eyes on the white houses that they passed. “Ten,” the other’s voice spoke. “Can we be friends?”  
  
Ten held in a huff. “I was not the one who suggested otherwise.”  
  
“I don’t know what was wrong with m-”  
  
“Oh, you know. Johnny. You know what it was and don’t call it ‘wrong’.”  
  
“Sorry,” Johnny looked defeated. “Well,” he then began. “If you ever need my friendship I am always there for you.” He said and got up, moving to another seat on the bus. Ten watched him leave with his jaw dropped.

Kun looked confused as he entered the bus to see the two of them separated. He knew something was off but with one look in Ten’s direction he immediately dropped down beside Johnny. He probably wanted to see if Johnny would explain. 

Ten cursed under his breath. He had forgotten to mention Maja to his parents.

Ten walked behind Johnny and Kun in the hallway. They had gym first thing in the morning. Winwin had not even touched Ten, only demanded he took a shower before going to school. Ten guessed it was because the moon-children would know the vampire’s scent. Ten was approached by Jaehyun as soon as he stood by the benches. 

“Hey, Ten.” He called and Ten eyed Johnny and Kun. The two of them stopped talking and glanced at Jaehyun. Johnny turned his head as if he had seen something that disgusted him. Kun turned his whole body around as soon as his eyes landed on Jaehyun.  
  
“Hi,” Ten smiled at Jaehyun. He waited expectantly and Jaehyun masked a worried expression. If Ten did not know that Winwin was currently in his room trying to block the sunlight a little better, then he would’ve fallen for the trick.  
  
“Winwin has not returned to the Den since the weekend.” He said and ran a hand through his blonde hair. “We’re all looking for him, but he just hasn’t shown up.”  
  
Ten frowned. “Does he live in the Den? With you?”  
  
Jaehyun grinned at Ten’s minimum knowledge of the Moon Village. “His mother is worried about him. I told her that you asked for him and she was happy to hear that he has friends, even if it’s a different kind.”  
  
Ten rubbed his cheek. He was confused by Jaehyun’s lies. “Can I do anything?” He asked and Jaehyun’s eyes twinkled.  
  
“Maybe,” he hummed. “I’ll let you know, okay? For now, let’s meet at Torn this Saturday.”  
  
Ten nodded. “Sure.” He agreed and watched Jaehyun leave with a frown and narrowed eyes. He could not hide his confusion and suspicion.  
  
Kun jumped him as soon as Jaehyun was gone. “What’s with that face?” He asked. “That does not look like a ‘Jaehyun is my new friend’ expression.”  
  
Ten pressed his lips into a thin line and looked at Kun. “I just had the same instincts as you. Which I found odd.”  
  
“So, I’m right?” Kun asked. “Jaehyun is scarier than the rest!”  
  
Ten glanced at Johnny who looked awkward and alone. He had not approached Ten as Kun had. “He sure is.” Ten agreed.

Did Johnny know that Winwin was at Ten’s house?

Would he tell anyone?

Kun asked Ten to ask about his girlfriend, she still had not replied to his letters. Once again she was missing and the school said that they had heard that she was feeling a little ill. Kun did not believe it anymore. Ten found himself not believing it either.

On their way home, Ten made sure Kun and Johnny sat by him. He was the first to enter the bus, taking up the back which had a bench with room enough for three people and it was perfect. He pointed at the seats and made direct eye-contact with Johnny. The taller looked nervous but he obeyed. Kun had a look of curiosity. He sat down eagerly and Ten took place beside him. Johnny was leaning against the window.  
  
“I’ll ask about Maja tonight.” He assured Kun. “There were other things my parents wanted to talk about. I sense something is off.” Ten whispered to the two. Johnny’s eyes widened and Ten reached out a hand, folding his fingers together in a gesture for him to ‘shut it’. “I want you both to be a little smarter, okay?” (“Who says we aren’t?” Kun asked but Ten continued.) “For now, it is best that you don’t go around asking too many questions and if anyone starts interrogating you, pretend you know nothing.”  
  
Kun frowned.  
  
“I think there is a connection with Maja and my own problem, but I need to do some research.” Ten said to reassure the other.  
  
Kun had to get off and he left with a promise to stay quiet but keep his eyes and ears open. Kun was thrilled about the new mystery they had encountered but also worried. Somehow, he probably dreamt about the idea of saving Maja. From what, none of them knew.  
  
Johnny seemed to have grown in size. He looked proud. Ten wanted to knock the smug smile off his face.  
  
“I was right, weren’t I?”  
  
“Not… exactly.” Ten muttered bitterly and looked through the opposite window.  
  
“Well, I am confused about one thing,” Johnny said in a tone of voice that had Ten’s blood boiling already. He did not like that he got so easily angry with Johnny, but as of late the other pissed him off… but Ten knew it was also because he was defeated. Johnny had been right not to trust Jaehyun and maybe Ten should be more cautious with the moon-children. Ten turned to look at Johnny who had his hand raised making a gesture. “Moon-children aren’t allowed outside of the school grounds and in Sun Valley. So why… why is one of them in y-”  
  
The sound of a ‘smack’ had startled one girl sitting close to them. Ten knew he had hit too hard, but he clasped his fingers tightly around Johnny’s mouth to silence him. The taller had jumped in surprise, but the look in his eyes told Ten that he had expected this reaction. Ten truly wanted to give this boy a lesson, but he could also just let Winwin feed on him and burn his body, but… he cared about this idiot and he needed him.  
  
“What did I just say?” Ten asked through gritted teeth. “Shut your mouth.” He hissed and lowered his hand cautiously.  
  
“I saw him,” Johnny said in a low voice. His eyes dangerous.  
  
Ten glanced past the taller and saw their neighborhood appear. He got up and was followed out by the other sun-child. As soon as they walked behind the bus that drove away; Ten started speaking in a lowered voice. “What you saw was a victim.” Ten eyed the streets as if an enemy could appear at any corner. “I did not bring him home if that is what you’re thinking. My mom found him.” He said as they entered through the gate to his house. “The council found him.” He whispered again and Johnny held Ten back by his arm.  
  
“Why?” He asked and eyed the front door to make sure the moon-child were not waiting right by it. “Is he stalking you now?”  
  
Ten shook his head. “He was running away from his own Clan. – Yes, I know it sounds crazy – but this is not the first time a moon-child has disappeared. We got to know Hendery fell ill, but what if the same happened to him at that time?”  
  
Johnny was frowning. “So, you’re saying he was outed?” Ten nodded. “Why?”  
  
“I… did not ask.”  
  
Johnny made a face. “That is the first question you ask, _Ten_.”  
  
“I doubt it’s something bad.” Ten said in defense, but Johnny was already moving towards the door. Ten wanted to stop him… but he owed this to the taller. Johnny had been right that Jaehyun was bad news, and he was right that the moon-children couldn’t be trusted. So maybe Ten should allow him to question Winwin. This would stop the taller from acting all cocky and maybe… maybe this would help them get to the bottom of the mystery.

It was rather dark inside. Ten’s dad was happy to see Johnny visiting, but he also gave Ten a look to ask if he was sure about this choice.  
  
“He knows Winwin as well.” Ten explained. “We can trust Johnny.” He assured his father. He turned to Johnny and noticed the shadow of what had been a small smile. The taller changed his expression into one of determination.  
  
“We’re stronger in numbers.” He said. An old catch-phrase that was said before and during the war. It was true. It also reassured Ten’s father. Ten still felt anxious hearing that being said again. It truly accentuated the danger that was looming over them.

The moon-child had heard them arrive. So, he was waiting for them sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed. Johnny seemed to square his shoulders as soon as he entered and Ten noticed Winwin’s eyes narrow.  
  
“Why would you bring him here?” The moon-child asked and looked at Ten. The smaller smiled apologetically, but Johnny was quicker at replying.  
  
“Because he has finally learned.” He snapped. “That you moon-children aren’t to be trusted.”  
  
“ _Johnny.”_ Ten warned the other. The taller rolled his shoulders in order to calm himself. Ten was grateful that the other listened. Winwin looked threatening as well and Ten did not want a fight to break out between them. Even if the moon-child was beaten, hungry, and weak it would probably not make him less strong compared to Johnny.  
  
The taller placed his hands on his hips and Ten took a seat on the bed. He kept his distance to Winwin knowing it probably would provoke the other sun-child. “We need to know a few things, Winwin.” He spoke gently. “Jaehyun approached me today and said that your mother awaits you… but it sounded like-”  
  
“She probably does,” Winwin said. “But I can’t save her.” He stated looking grim.  
  
“Please elaborate.” Insisted Johnny.  
  
Winwin sighed. This was not an easy topic. Ten reached out to hold one of the moon-child’s hands and Johnny turned away. He moved over to lean against a dresser. Ten pulled his hand back again, feeling guilty, but Winwin held onto it. “I was born into the most powerful clan in our village. We live in the largest castle and we’re the largest in numbers. That isn’t much though compared to you sun-children. We’re only 50 in our clan.”  
  
“That is still quite a strong number,” Johnny stated and the vampire rolled his eyes.  
  
“We’re such a huge clan that we also have people living outside of our den, stationed all around and most vampires show loyalty to New Moon.”  
  
“New Moon?” Johnny asked, “but you’re ancient as hell.”  
  
Winwin once again sighed. Ten wanted to tell Johnny to shut up. “We were pretty defeated by the end of the war, hence the name change. My mother is from another smaller clan that was completely erased by the war. That clan was not the most respected because they relied on changing people and bringing them into the clan instead of relying on pureblood breeding. My mom was a sun-child before the war but was one of the many to be brought into the night.”  
  
“Do you still do that? Change people?”  
  
Winwin shook his head. “It was kind of a religion once, Sun-blooded we call those who were not born into the night. They are rare… My mom had me with another vampire and that is why we got accepted into New Moon. Not long ago my dad died while out hunting. Some say that it was because of an encounter with the clan; Fanged. Vampires are not the only moon-children - as we all know. We share our village with each other in as much harmony as possible.” Winwin looked troubled. “What I mean by not having a mother anymore is because she… she was claimed by the Ancient of New Moon and so she is kept in this… chamber. She can have children since she still has Sun-blood in her, but at some point, she won’t be able to and the Claimed are never released again. It is supposed to be an honor to be chosen… but we just wanted to live in peace together.”  
  
“Did you try to get her out?” Johnny asked, his hostile demeanor gone.  
  
“I know my place,” Winwin said and Ten saw Johnny make a gesture of disagreement, his expression showing disbelief. The vampire saw it too. “Be glad you’re a friend or I would’ve drained you.”  
  
Ten gasped at the sudden threat but was mostly amused by it. Johnny let Winwin continue.  
  
“No… I was pissed, of course, but I knew it would only bring her in danger. Yet I was called to the Office in the middle of the night last Friday and then I was sentenced to exile for being a traitor… A traitor because I had turned to the old religion… because I was going against the rules of the clan by turning sun-children.”  
  
Ten frowned. “But you haven’t?”  
  
“Someone has.” The moon-child stated. “Someone is and they were looking for them… but I think… I think someone saw me with you and decided to turn me in.”  
  
Johnny frowned. “They saw you biting Ten?”  
  
Winwin gave the taller a glare and Ten shook his head. “No!” Both of them exclaimed.  
  
“No,” Winwin repeated in a calmer voice. “No, I wouldn’t feed on him nor turn him. Under the sun is a much kinder place to be.”  
  
Ten took a moment to think. Johnny crossed his arms over his chest, his eyebrows gliding closer as he contemplated what to do next. Winwin was caressing Ten’s hand with both of his, it seemed to calm him. Ten glanced at the action, the skin on his hand tingling. “Maja never arrived at the Torn.” He whispered.  
  
“Yet her parents never reported her missing?” Johnny continued the train of thought.  
  
“Was she snatched before she could arrive? We arrive as the sun sets… we don’t take the same paths?”  
  
“Who is Maja?” The moon-child asked with an innocent look on his face. Ten turned his body towards the other.  
  
“Kun’s girlfriend. She hasn’t come to school for a while now.”  
  
Winwin frowned. This news troubled him. “It must be him.” The other said.  
  
“Who?” Johnny asked impatiently.  
  
“Jaehyun…” Winwin said but he went quiet. “I am not allowed to tell… it is forbidden.”  
  
Johnny squinted. “You’ve been thrown out of your clan, I bet the laws don’t apply to you anymore.”  
  
Ten wish the other could be gentler with his words, but it was true. “Any information that can help us is important, Winwin.”  
  
The moon-child sighed. “Jaehyun’s father is the Ancient, hence he has some abilities. He is blessed by the moon and is a true hunter. Hunting humans is all about not creating chaos because humans who panic leave huge messes and they flee.” (“Obviously,” Johnny pointed out.) “We hunt animals now and we try to keep to our ways. Taking just what we need and not being greedy. In the old days, it was normal to take a victim and convince the family the victim was just fine… if you’re a strong vampire you can convince them for a very long time, and you get used to someone’s absence. My mom told me it happened to someone she went to school with… they vanished, and everyone got to know they were ill. When it was clear they weren’t coming back, the parents had somehow convinced themselves that their child had died to this illness.”  
  
“You’re saying that Jaehyun has this power to enchant people?” Johnny asked and Winwin nodded. “And you believe Maja has been taken.” The moon-child nodded again. “What will they do to her? Is it too late for us to save her?”  
  
Winwin looked troubled. “I don’t know.” He replied honestly. “Vampires could drain humans for weeks… if the human receives the vampire's blood before they die-”  
  
“They turn after dying.” Ten finished.

But how could they be sure?

“We’ll go to Maja’s place tomorrow,” Johnny stated and grabbed his school bag. “I hate myself for saying this, Ten… but stay friendly with Jaehyun. We can’t have him figuring us out.”  
  
Ten had the urge to hug Johnny or thank him for being the best friend to exist. Yet he did not do any of them other than wave the other goodbye as the sun-child exited the room. He left the two to sit in silence. Ten was looked at the sheets, at the pale hands holding his that looked almost bronze compared to them. He did not know what to say, but as he inhaled to speak the bed dipped and Ten’s mouth got occupied by another, a tongue met his own and Ten choked on a moan, succumbing to the weight that ended on top of him. The sun-child pulled the moon-child close, loving the closeness and relishing in the way the other tasted.  
  
The moon-child pulled away from the kiss way too soon. Ten once again had to stop himself from whining. Winwin’s eyes were so dark and there was a foreign intensity in them. Ten tried to catch his breath, looking up at the other, waiting for the vampire to speak.

  
When he finally did, Ten felt a surge of arousal rush through his body.

“Why does he look at you like that?”

Ten’s body quivered in response to the possessiveness in the other’s voice. His fingers gripped tighter onto the fabric covering the vampire’s broad shoulders. He could not reply, he was spellbound by the look in the other’s eyes.  
  
“He wants you,” Winwin stated and pushed Ten’s hair out of his face. “Wants you as I do.”  
  
Ten had not seen it. He had not seen if Johnny’s eyes said the same things that Winwin’s did. He had busied himself with blaming the other and being angry with him. It really was true then. Johnny was in love with Ten.

But Ten had fallen in love with the moon.

Without waiting for the vampire to speak, to continue to say things that made Ten think of Johnny and the guilt, he pulled the other down, kissing the other hard. The moon-child reciprocated with a need that was similar to their first night together. It was rough and desperate and Ten gasped and moaned without thinking of the consequences. The moon-child though was wise enough to know where this would take them and he was quick to clasp a hand over Ten’s mouth, keeping the noises in.  
  
“I am not in control.” He growled.  
  
Ten looked at the way the other gritted his teeth. His fangs visible. “I don’t care.” He replied in a muffled voice.  
  
“The hunger is too great.” The vampire almost winced and buried his face in Ten’s chest. Ten felt a hand slide beneath his shirt, holding onto his waist and Ten gasped at the cool skin touching his that had turned hot. The hand covering his mouth slid down to hold around his throat and Ten gasped when it tightened its grip.  
  
The moon-child pushed his hips down onto Ten’s and the friction it created caused them both to release strangled moans. “I am yours.” Ten promised when the hand on his throat moved to the back of his neck. “I promise you, I am yours.”  
  
Winwin kissed him again, but he was careful. “I know that, my sun.” He replied and Ten gasped when the other thrust against him. “I know it, but I am still angry with myself.”  
  
Ten opened his eyes, looking at the other. “Why?” He asked, cupping the vampire’s cheeks, forcing the other to look at him. “Why would you be angry?”  
  
“Because I need you to…” Winwin’s voice trembled. “I need you to go to him.”  
  
Ten frowned. “To who? To Johnny?”  
  
The vampire nodded and sat up. Ten followed along, grabbing the other’s wrist to keep him from running.  
  
“Why would I? Why would I when I have you?”  
  
The moon-child could barely look into his eyes. “Because Jaehyun knows… he must know about us. You need to pretend it was nothing serious or he will come here. He’s already making sure his suspicions are true. If he knows then he will know where I am. How to get me into the open. How to break me.”  
  
“I swear to you,” Ten searched for the other’s eyes. “He does not think that.”  
  
“Don’t underestimate him.”  
  
“Don’t underestimate me!” Ten pleaded. This made the other look at him.  
  
“I would never.” He promised and Ten leaned into the other’s side. Winwin embraced him tightly. “Johnny will do anything he can to protect you. That is why I will trust him with your safety.”  
  
“I am safe with you.” Ten cried.  
  
“Not anymore.” The other said softly. “Maybe we truly were cursed to the darkness… only the darkness will allow us to be together. In the light, you will now be his.”  
  
Ten pushed himself out of the other’s embrace. “No.” He told him and moved out of the bed. The moon-child turned to him.  
  
“It’s a sacrifice we both must make. Or we won’t get to make any sacrifices at all.”

Ten sighed, his back was turned to the other. “You’re hungry.” He excused the other’s behavior. “I will get you some food.”

“Ten,” the moon-child called but the sun-child was out of the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Ten could not find his father as his bare feet tapped across the wooden floor. He found a note on the kitchen counter that his father had received a message from Ten’s mother and that he was picking up something for the moon-child. Ten sighed and folded the note. He had hoped that he had already gotten something. This left the two of them alone for a while and now Ten had walked out on the moon-child in anger. He walked through the lower floor to the backyard that had a white fence all around it and Ten looked at the woods in the distance. A hill rose upwards and the woods seemed to loom on top of it like a shadow. White towers were spread evenly across the border. Ten wondered how Winwin had gotten past them? Maybe security had gotten lazy after so many years of peace. Clearly, something had infiltrated the town. Not just Winwin.   
  
The breeze seemed to calm him, leaving him to calm his emotions and think clearly.

Winwin was right. Maybe Jaehyun had been the one to report the vampire and that would result in him knowing the two were more than friends. Would he believe that Ten had stopped worrying about the moon-child? Would it work if Ten acted closer with Johnny? Could it even seem natural? If Jaehyun could enchant people couldn’t he see through pretense?

  
Ten sat down in one of the lounging chairs and crossed his arms across his chest. He had wished for love, for it to be kind to him and not exclude him and then here he was. He received love from a shadow he was not allowed to love and as he take that and dive in, the light promises him love as well? Ten thought he was lonely but maybe he was just blind.

  
Ten’s father arrived home and Ten hurried inside. Intrigued to hear the sound of an animal inside the house. That once had been a common noise. They had once had a cat, but it vanished. Maybe it had wandered too far and gotten lost. That was what Ten believed.

  
His father held a small kitten in one arm and a rabbit in the other. “I thought… I did not have the heart to feed him a cat.” His father said and Ten smiled. “I saw it and was reminded of Ray.”   
  
Ten grinned. “Is it for me?” He asked in a voice that sounded younger. His dad’s grin was wide and giddy as he reached out the kitten. It was white as snow with green eyes and Ten noticed a pink bow around its neck. “I’ll think of a name for you.” He told it and let the kitten down. Its lithe body landed swiftly and it ran across the floor to explore its new home. Ten squared up his shoulders. He reached out for the rabbit. “Let me give it to him.”  
  
Ten’s father’s smile fell off his face. “You don’t have to be the-”  
  
“I don’t mind, dad.” He insisted and accepted the rabbit when his father reluctantly gave it to him. The animal was warm and big in his arms. It lied totally still, it probably had been safe its entire life with no worries. Ten pushed those thoughts away. He kept on a straight face and moved up the stairs, but as soon as his father couldn’t see him his courage fell.   
  
His hand was absentmindedly petting the animal, feeling it relax in his arms and he held in a whine. How could he be the one to give its life away?   
  
The door creaked open. Ten had not dared to enter his room. In the darkness inside he could make out the other boy. “Is that for me?” He asked and Ten pressed his lips into a tight smile.   
  
“Yes,” he replied and forced his feet to move. He went inside the room, the vampire held it open for him before closing it. Ten stood in the middle of his room, not knowing where to put the animal. The moon-child placed a hand on his shoulder startling him.   
  
“I am sorry that you have to do this.” He said and Ten’s shoulders slumped. “I’ll do it in the bathroom.” He told him in a calm voice. He urged Ten to give the animal to him and Ten let him.   
  
“Will it hurt?” He asked.  
  
The moon-child shook his head. “Remember when I took your pain away?”   
  
Ten gawped. He did remember.  
  
“It will be quick.” He told Ten.  
  
But as he turned around to go to the bathroom, Ten noticed the animal begin to stir. It knew that the hands that held it were cold and that it was not safe any longer. The door closed behind Winwin and it was as if the vampire had no self-control anymore because before it closed completely, Ten saw the reflection of the pale vampire with black eyes open its mouth wide before it raised the rabbit to its mouth. The shut and Ten heard one squeak from the animal but it was short. There was this odd sound of sucking and gulping and Ten covered his ears.

How could he forget how different their worlds were? That they were walking on a thin line between each of them? Their nature was different. They survived differently. In the end… who would make it?

Ten’s hands were gently pried off his ears. He opened his eyes to see the moon-child in front of him. He had washed his hair and face, his hands smelled of the cherry blossom soap Ten used and his skin seemed to glow in a healthy way.   
  
“I brushed my teeth.” He said and Ten could smell mint. There was no smell of copper, no scent of blood at all. “I wasted no blood,” Winwin promised with a grin. He looked like a proud child.   
  
“Good boy,” Ten said through a small smile, caressing the other’s wine-colored hair. The moon-child had turned on his night-lamp.   
  
“Are you okay?” He asked, his eyes searching Ten’s face. Ten nodded slowly. This was what it meant to compromise. This is what Ten promised the moon-child. To keep him safe and that meant feeding him as well.   
  
“As long as you are.” He replied in a breath and the vampire grinned. His fangs seemed to have retracted. He leaned in to kiss Ten and the smaller let him. He could not be angry with him, he could not blame him for what he had suggested. Ten needed to do everything in his power to keep the moon-child safe.

His dad was cooking dinner for Ten and his mother. The vampire had moved with him downstairs, and to be gentle with him they had pulled the curtains to cover the large windows, making sure the sun’s rays did not reach the moon-child.  
  
“You look better.” His mother told the moon-child. Winwin smiled.  
  
“Thanks to your sacrifice. I am eternally grateful for what you have done for me.” He said and Ten tried not to smile. His mother was a little baffled at the politeness of the other.  
  
“We value life above all else in this town. To throw away yours just because of our differences would go against that.” She said and looked at Winwin more closely. The moon-child sat completely still, his eyes a little wide and Ten watched the interaction.  
  
“Is it bad in your village?” She asked in a motherly tone, and Ten could see Winwin reacted to it. He looked like he was ready to spill out all the hardships he had been through.   
  
“The Wolves are comfortable with the new arrangements. The union is in their favor because they truly want to be amongst the sun-children. The Vampires would rather go back to the old days. They are tired of feeding on animals. We’ve… We’ve had a few random killings here and there, a werewolf found drained and a vampire found gutted. There is no reason for us to act civil in order to hide amongst people, we’re all letting ourselves act like monsters. Only the kids seem to want something more out of life than Clan Wars.”   
  
Ten listened intently. So did his mother and father. His mother had the power to do something if the council would listen to her. His father was placing fried rice and vegetables on the dinner table. The vampire watched it with interest, but he did not seem to be affected by the delicious smell. He looked a little disturbed by it. Ten found that funny.

“I’ll work on some things at the Town Hall, I need to gather up information and prepare the news for the council-meeting tomorrow.”  
  
Ten watched her go towards the door.   
  
“I’ll bring her there. Bring Johnny over if you feel afraid, the kitten will warn you of any dangers. You know the signs, right son?”  
  
Ten nodded at his father. “If she starts making noises and circles the doors and windows, the danger is right outside.” He said in a nonchalant tone. “If she starts hissing, it’s right inside.”   
  
“Don’t act up,” his mother warned him and Ten had to admit defeat. Maybe these cautions were important after all.   
  
He watched his mother turn away, then he realized. “Mom!” He called out, his dad was already heading towards the car. “Have you heard anything from Maja’s parents? The Thys?”   
  
She frowned. “No, why?”   
  
“She just hasn’t replied to Kun’s letters…” Ten looked at her. “It’s silly, we’ll go to her place tomorrow after school and see if she’s still feeling ill.”   
  
His mother cocked a brow. “And you’re sure Kun hasn’t done something to make her angry?”   
  
Ten frowned. “No?”   
  
She gave him a look. “Do not barge in and be gentlemen, okay?”   
  
Ten huffed. “Of course, mom.” He muttered and she left with a smile. Ten waited for the car to drive off before he closed the door. The sun was setting, leaving the sky pink and orange. The vampire stood in safety of its rays, the snowy kitten was inspecting him and Ten found the interaction adorable. Winwin was gluing himself to the wall as the kitten tested out if he truly was a dangerous being.   
  
“We do not keep pets.” The moon-child said in a struggling voice before he tried to flee towards the stairs. Ten closed and locked the door, picking up the cat and following the vampire up the stairs.   
  
“They keep us safe.” He explained.  
  
“From us.” Winwin exaggerated and avoided Ten getting too close with the animal. Ten laughed and settled it down, following the vampire into his room and closing the door.   
  
“It would give us just a second more to get to a weapon, even if our strength could not match yours, we would at least have a chance.”  
  
The moon-child sighed. “Why was I born into this darkness?” He wondered and dropped to sit on the bed.  
  
Ten took a seat beside him. He cupped Winwin’s cheek with one hand, turning his head so that he could peck his lips. “We do not choose our beginnings.” He whispered against the moon-child’s lips. “But we continue our stories and you have brought yours to me.”   
  
The moon-child leaned into the kiss, taking one more and taking one he could deepen. Ten lost his breath as an open-mouthed kiss allowed the vampire’s tongue into his mouth. There was no hesitation now. The moon-child was back in control of himself and Ten did not have to worry about his parents hearing anything. They had a chance to connect.

Winwin reached over; grabbing Ten’s thigh and pulling him into his lap. Ten gasped into the vampire’s mouth before he started grinding down on the vampire, feeling the other’s arousal against him.   
  
“You better fuck me this time.” Ten whispered and Winwin chuckled.   
  
“As you wish, my sun.” He replied and Ten yelped when he was maneuvered into the middle of the bed. The vampire got in between his legs, and his wrists were locked by the sides of his head as lips drew kisses from his lips to his collarbones.   
  
Clothes were discarded and as their bodies held each other, naked and out of the shades that separated them, they felt like one.   
  
Ten was loud, maybe too loud but his body had grown so hot it almost hurt to touch Winwin’s skin that stayed cool even if he was thrusting into Ten’s body with such a passion. Ten’s nails ran down the vampires back, he was looking up into the other’s eyes. Winwin leaned down, taking Ten’s lips into a sloppy kiss and the smaller’s moans got caught in the kiss. His voice was muffled, but the sounds of skin against skin loud and clear and Winwin did not hold in his grunts or his own moans that came out as growls.   
  
No sunlight would shine on them as they did this. This was for the darkness only and Ten was surprised at how fitting it was. He was happy with their moments of passion belonging only to themselves, they were not fleeing when they were making love. They weren’t hiding. They wanted to be alone, because this was precious to them.   


Winwin slept in Ten’s bed that night. He held Ten close and he whispered gentle things into the sun-child’s ear making the other fall asleep with a smile on his lips. When his mother said young couples stayed together when she was young… he had a thought. A thought that tore at his heart.

  
How much time did he have with Winwin?

Now that he was drifting off to sleep in the other’s arms, in his own home, he felt like they had forever. He had hope.

Ten woke up early to take a long shower. He drenched himself in soap, making sure he reeked of cherry blossoms. Even the vampire’s nose wrinkled as he entered his bedroom.   
  
“Why do you sun-children have to give yourself a new smell?” The other asked. Ten was packing his bag and swinging it over his shoulder, dressed in a light shade of clothes and a long woolen cardigan.   
  
“We can’t all smell as clean as a bright winter day, Winwin.” He shot back making the vampire grimace again.   
  
“Older vampires smell like dust.” He said. “And the Wolves smell like wet dogs.”  
  
“All the time?” Ten asked. “I haven’t noticed.”  
  
The moon-child smirked. “Well, you do have a dull sense of smell.”  
  
“Rude.” Ten commented as he left his bedroom, followed by the moon-child. His parents had already gone. The kitten had been waiting for him by the door and the moon-child seemed to dig his heels into the carpet in order to avoid it. Ten picked up the purring animal. “You’ll be alone with her a whole day, you better get over your differences.”  
  
“I’d rather hide from her and read books.” The vampire said while watching Ten ready his breakfast.   
  
Ten took a seat by the kitchen counter. Quickly wolfing down a sandwich with cheese and jam. “Think of a name for her.”  
  
Winwin frowned. “You do not name fo-” He stopped himself at the look of shock on Ten’s face. He quieted down. “I won’t.” He promised.   
  
Ten chuckled. “Of course, you wouldn’t. You’ll be best friends soon.” He said through a grin, cleaning up and bringing the rest of his sandwich with him after realizing he would otherwise be late.   
  
“I’ll pass by Maja’s today, so don’t fret.”   
  
“Be careful. Don’t break them out of their haze.” He said while standing in the shadow. Ten’s grip on the door handle tightened. The vampire was fidgeting. “It always gets ugly.”

Johnny’s tall form stood outside at their spot. He seemed somehow taller today, his back straightened and his shoulders pushed back. He was watching the sky and the many clouds colored golden in the bright light. Ten did not shout a greeting this morning, instead, he took a spot right by the other’s side, eyes moving up to the sky as well.   
  
Johnny turned to him, a grin on his face and his eyes glinting. “I feel sort of energized today.” He said and settled his grin to a small smile. Ten looked up at the taller, he did look like he had a purpose. Maybe that was what the other had been lacking, a purpose.   
  
“Can I ask something of you?” Ten tried to say it casually, but his voice was hesitant and his eyes full of fright. He would be asking something from his best friend that wasn’t fair. Johnny’s eyes on him were curious, but his smile faltered.   
  
“Always,” he breathed.   
  
Ten almost winced and turned his eyes away from the taller. “Winwin thinks that Jaehyun knows about our… relationship.” Ten avoided the taller’s gaze as he spoke. “We suspect that he will use me to lure Winwin out from his hiding spot and we cannot have that happen.”  
  
“So?” Johnny pressed on.  
  
“It would be safer for me to seem like I’ve moved on.” Ten spoke fast and as he finished, he watched the taller’s expression, waiting for the other to catch on.   
  
Johnny looked at Ten, coffee brown eyes still working through the other’s coded request. Then it seemed like he stopped, coming to a conclusion that pulled forward an expression Ten couldn’t quite read. Johnny almost grew an inch taller. “You need me?” He asked and Ten felt unease spread through him at the tone in the other’s voice.   
  
“I do.” Ten replied and stared at his hands. “If it is not too much to ask.”  
  
Johnny reached out to take Ten’s small hands into his large one. His skin was warm, a total contrast to the vampire’s. “I will keep you safe.” He promised.  
  
Ten knew the other was right. He would keep him safe, but this was alien territory. Ten knew that even though this would only be pretend, it probably wasn’t for Johnny. If they let their friendship wander this far, could it go back again? Or was Ten being stupid? Had their friendship changed already? Had they reached the point of no return long ago?   
  
Ten glanced back at his home as the bus came towards them, its engine whirring and its large wheels crunching pebbles beneath its weight. Johnny’s warm hand held onto his, leading him into the bus.   
Ten thought he saw a shadow pass one of the curtains in his home.

This had to work.

Johnny still gave Jaehyun all the glares in the world, Ten did not notice the vampire approach because of Johnny’s body moving in to shield him. Ten was sure this wasn’t even part of the act. Johnny did it automatically.   
  
“Excuse me,” Jaehyun said with a dimply smile. Johnny made a grimace, mocking the other’s politeness.   
  
Ten knew it was time to begin. He took Johnny’s hand in his in a gentle and subtle touch, the other hand tugging on his arm to move the taller to the side. Johnny seemed to relax and Ten looked up, fluttering his eyelashes and he had to bite down on his cheek. The taller looked down at him, a hint of surprise in them and Ten could feel Johnny’s fingers give his a squeeze. A small smile adorned his lips and Ten pulled his hands to himself, immediately feeling a hand on his lower back. Ten looked at Jaehyun, the vampire read their body language and Ten smiled.   
  
“No news?” He asked to still seem interested.  
  
Jaehyun shook his head. “I fear he has gone to your town.” Ten faked surprise. Johnny stepped forward.   
  
“A moon-child in Sun Valley?” He asked. “Why haven’t you alerted the authorities.”  
  
Jaehyun gave him a glare. “Because we don’t want this to blow up.”   
  
“Is he dangerous?” Ten asked in a small voice and felt Johnny tug him closer.   
  
Jaehyun frowned. “You were friends, right?”  
  
Ten nodded. “We had something in common…” He trailed off. “But if he’s dangerous…”  
  
“Then he shouldn’t even be allowed into this school. You should keep your people in check.” Jaehyun’s eyes were wide when they stared at Johnny. His hate was at the surface, his mask cracking. Ten did not like how cold the air grew. Kun who sat at his desk seemed to shrink away.   
  
“We have it under control, Captain.” He said in a very controlled voice. Then he chuckled, his eyes forming crescent moons and Ten was baffled at the change of mood. “It’s just a runaway teen, we are just worrying about his safety.” Jaehyun shifted his gaze to Ten. “Moon-children do not have many friends.” He stated and backed off.

Ten almost dropped into his seat. “That was crazy.”  
  
“He is so scary.” Kun breathed and leaned in to look at the two. “What is it with you two?”  
  
“We’re friends again.” Ten smiled, but he could not keep it on his face. Johnny was leaning back in his seat.   
  
“We’re stronger in numbers.”  
  
Kun frowned. “The truth is in those words, but we only use those when-”  
  
“Quiet down, students.”   
  
Ten sighed and stared out the window. Johnny patted his hand to comfort him. He still felt uneasy.

Stepping off earlier they faced a small road leading to a dead-end, where 4 houses rested. Maja lived in one of those. Kun knew which one. He led the way with Ten in the middle and Johnny taking up the back.   
  
The first one they came across was the one. It looked fine. The paint wasn’t cracking on the fence, no weeds sprung out from the grass nor the flower beds. At first glance, Ten would say it all looked fine.   
  
Then he noticed the mailbox. Kun opened the lid, the metal had been painted green. Johnny looked away when Kun’s letters fell out.   
  
“We should go.” Ten said in a small voice, but Johnny was already heading towards the front door. Ten ran after him. “Johnny wait!” He pleaded but the knocks seemed to echo. Kun was clutching one of the letters, coming up to stand on the porch with the other two. Ten pushed Johnny aside, as much as his strength could move the taller. “We need to be careful!”   
  
The door opened just as Ten had spoken and they face Maja’s mother. By what Ten had seen of the girl that Kun dated, he recognized Maja’s features in her mother’s face. Except her mother’s hair was a lighter blonde. She was also smaller, and her features had been touched by age. Around the corners of her mouth and her eyes. She smiled almost a little stiffly.   
  
“Can I help you?” She asked.   
  
Ten held out a hand to quiet Johnny. “Hi, Mrs. Thy. Is Maja home?” He decided to ask.   
  
The woman smiled. “She is hanging out with a friend.” She explained.   
  
“Who?” Kun asked.  
  
Maja’s mother looked almost bright. “She’s with a friend.” She continued again.   
  
Ten nodded exaggeratedly. “Of course, we’ll find her there. Thank you, Mrs. Thy!” He said and waved before turning around and dragging the other two with him.   
  
“What does this mean?” Kun asked his voice thick. He was getting more and more worked up the farther they got away from the door. Ten could see angry tears swimming in his eyes. “Where is she?” He demanded to know. Johnny curled his hands into fists. Ten looked back at the house.   
  
“They have been charmed.” He explained and shifted his eyes to Kun. His friend’s chin quivered.   
  
“Maja has been taken.”


	5. Chapter 5

The three boys walked back home. Ten was rushing, Kun kept muttering to himself about all the things he could’ve done, and Johnny was oddly quiet. Ten eyed the taller as he walked. There was a stern look on his face and his eyes seemed to dart over the scenery as if he was contemplating something. Ten did not want to ask. He felt guilty because he had defended Jaehyun without knowing that the vampire was a monster. It must be Jaehyun, he was behind all of this and he had Maja.

  
Was it time to alert his parents?

  
Ten felt like this was out of their hands, but if this was revealed to the adults a revolution would begin and if Winwin was right, the vampires wouldn’t object. They would go along with it. They were tired of their restricted lives. They wanted to live out their true nature and that went against the peace treaty.

“What do we do?” Kun asked. Ten eyed his and Johnny’s house that was approaching them, resting very carefully, pale and comforting with their green grass and the cherry blossom tree in Johnny’s front yard. Ten did not like the idea of monsters creeping in the shadows, waiting to attack.  
  
“We should tell him.” Johnny finally said and came to a stop. Ten eyed the curtains of his house, Winwin was probably waiting for him.  
  
Kun looked confused. His full brows furrowed up into a worried expression. He looked pitiful with eyes full of regret and the corners of his mouth diving along with his hope. “Tell me what?” He asked. “All that you’re hiding?” He then continued, sounding betrayed. “Are you two dating?”  
  
“What?!” Ten exclaimed, about to protest when he felt Johnny’s fingers around his arm. Ten had to hold it in. Either he told Kun the truth or he made sure the other would play along. If they could convince Kun, then convincing Jaehyun should be easy.  
  
“We wanted to keep it secret,” Johnny whispered, saving Ten. Kun stared at them both with disbelief in his expression, but he did not seem to scoff.  
  
“I should’ve known.” He said instead and Ten felt relieved, but also uncomfortable. Had they acted like there were more between them this entire time? Ten would like to say that he had not intended for that, but he bit down on his cheek.  
  
Johnny shrugged. “Moon-children are not against it.” He said. “But sun-children…”  
  
Kun nodded. “The moon-children have more options when it comes to making a family, we have to create a family the natural way… Maybe it’s survival instincts that are limiting us.” He spoke thoughtfully. “Love is good. It isn’t evil.” He then said as final and gave them both a smile. Ten never imagined that Kun would accept him like this. If Ten would’ve said it was a moon-child he had fallen for… would the accept come as easy?

Ten waited for any of the two to move, but it seemed like there was a question lingering on Kun’s lips and Johnny had stuffed his hands into his pockets, he was leaning towards Ten.  
  
“Have you like… kissed?” Kun then asked and Ten spluttered. Johnny’s face was flushing red.  
  
“I- We-” The taller tried and Ten was gesturing wildly. No, they had not.  
  
“Have you?” Ten shot back at Kun but immediately regretted bringing up Maja again. It tore off the smile on Kun’s face.  
  
“She kissed me.” He breathed, he looked like he was back in that moment again. For a moment he went breathless and Ten remembered his first kiss with the moon-child. The need it had awakened, the want that blossomed… It had not been a slow love like Kun and Maja. Ten wished it could’ve been a sweet vanilla love that began in school, but he was not allowed that.  
  
“We have… once.” Johnny lied in order to remove that look of despair from Kun’s face. Kun eyed the two. Ten felt his stomach turn into one huge knot.  
  
“Well, then I win, she kissed me first and then I had the courage afterward.” He said proudly and started walking through Ten’s gate, heading for his front door. Ten sprang up and sprinted towards the door.  
  
“One more thing,” he said and placed his hand on the doorknob. He could hear the kitten by the door and knew it would have company.

“Don’t panic.” Ten pleaded and then pulled in the handle. Johnny stood right behind Kun with a smirk on his face. Ten closed his eyes and then pushed the door open. Kun squealed at the sight of the kitten, immediately reaching down to pull the tiny animal into his embrace.  
  
“A baby!” He exclaimed and looked at the pink bow. “So adorable!” He fussed and Ten and Johnny got inside. Ten turned to Winwin who stood in his usual spot, right by the bottom of the stairs and hidden from the light the door let in.  
  
The kitten writhed itself out of Kun’s grip with a small cry and Kun let it out of his arms. It landed on all four, its paws taking it to the shadow by the stairs. Winwin picked her up and Ten gawped. Kun screamed.

Johnny couldn’t stop laughing. Kun sat in the windowsill looking embarrassed. Winwin and Ten were seated on the bed and Johnny was leaning on the dresser.  
  
“Johnny,” Ten pleaded. The taller covered his mouth, fixing his eyes on the floor but the chuckles still came. Kun couldn’t even look at the vampire.  
  
“I’m sorry for screaming.” He apologized and the moon-child looked shy but had a small amused smile on his lips.  
  
Ten moved to the edge of the bed. “My mom is taking it up with the council, but I don’t want to push more onto her. If we start telling her about Maja the whole town will panic.” Ten explained. “We need to lie low, keep Winwin hidden for now.”  
  
“But what about Maja?”  
  
The moon-child placed the kitten onto the floor, but she still stayed by his feet. Ten wanted to know how they ended up being this close. What made the vampire suddenly adore the animal?  
  
“She must be in Sun Valley. If she was in the Moon Village then it would be too obvious. The Wolves would love to snitch on the vampires and that would be too dangerous.”  
  
Johnny came over to sit on the bed, his large warm hand landed on Ten’s knee and Ten noticed the vampire’s eyes narrow. The taller either did this to provoke the vampire or maybe he just did not care. “Where is the place that no adults go to and where moon-children and sun-children mix?”  
  
Kun’s eyes widened. Ten gasped. “Torn.”  
  
“And where would they keep Maja?” He asked again.  
  
Either it was the thought of the terrible act of the vampires or the fact that Johnny still didn’t remove his hand, but the moon-child spoke through gritted teeth. “The cabin.”

Johnny and Kun went down to prepare snacks, leaving Ten and Winwin alone for a moment. Ten closed the door behind them and turned to the moon-child. Winwin got up from the bed and approached him, achingly slow.  
  
“How did it go? He seems to enjoy it.” The vampire said before he cupped Ten’s face pulling him in for a kiss. Ten gasped at the feeling of the vampire’s tongue against his, once again taken aback by the desire. “Did it work on Jaehyun?” He asked, this time leaning back, waiting for Ten’s reply. The sun-child leaned in, wanting more, his body betraying his mind and it made the moon-child create more space between them. Ten did not like that.  
  
“He looked very confused by it. As if he did not expect the sight.” Ten explained, trying to make sense of Jaehyun’s reaction. “He was being quite odd… He said something like; _Moon-children do not have many friends._ ” Ten looked up when Winwin took a step back, his stance faltering. Ten tried to support him. “What does it mean, my Moon?”  
  
The vampire seemed at a loss for words, but as they could hear Kun and Johnny stomping their way up the stairs, noisy as sun-children are and full of energy. “He will come here.” Winwin said and looked at Ten. The door opened up wide and Ten turned to look at his friends. The two’s chuckles died down, they sensed the change of mood.  
  
“We need to get him out of here.”

Moving Winwin in broad daylight was not easy, but it could be done. They did it simply by covering the moon-child in three blankets that went to his feet and guided him out the front door and to Johnny’s house.

“Do I have to invite him in?” Johnny asked as they guided Winwin up the stairs.  
  
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Came a muffled voice.  
  
“Do you want to burn, blood-sucker?”  
  
“As if you had the guts to do that, sunny-boy.”  
  
Kun frowned. “Can you guys, grow up?” He asked and Ten sighed in exasperation.  
  
“They’re terrible.” He gasped and was thankful for Kun being there so that he did not feel so caught.  
  
Johnny groaned. “Then come on in, vampire.” He said exaggeratedly and opened the door. Ten touched Johnny’s arm as he went past the other.  
  
“Thank you,” he whispered. The taller looked taken aback, but he smiled down at Ten, his eyes bright. Ten led the vampire upstairs.

“So, how do we do this?” Kun asked. “If you’re afraid of Jaehyun coming to check, it’s good to hide the vampire here. Johnny seems hostile towards moon-children he won’t suspect Johnny being an ally.”  
  
Johnny scoffed, but he did not come with a sarcastic comment. Ten was grateful for the other’s self-control. “If I’m gone too… won’t it just start the suspicion?”  
  
The moon-child was looking like he was deep in thought. “We’ll have to be apart.”  
  
“What?” Ten did not want to hear that.  
  
“You can’t sleep alone if he comes around, so I want someone to be there with you.”  
  
Kun straightened his back. “I can do that.” He said but he did not look confident. Jaehyun scared him the most and now that he had kidnapped Maja, Kun seemed to be even more frightened by the thought of the vampire.  
  
Johnny shook his head. “It would make more sense if he saw that I was at Ten’s house. Then we can convince him.”  
  
Something in the moon-child’s cheek twitched and his eyes looked dangerous. Ten felt suffocated.  
  
“I don’t want to go home…” Kun then said.  
  
“You can sleep at my place too.” Ten suggested but Winwin shook his head.  
  
“This boy will be too anxious and reveal you guys.”  
  
Ten thought for a while. “Be here then. The windows are right by each other. Maybe you can keep watch. Check if he appears. I’ll let…” Ten looked at the vampire.  
  
“Misty.” Winwin provided the name and Ten felt his heart swell.  
  
“Misty stay here. She can keep you safe?” He promised and Kun looked to be comforted by that.  
  
“I’ll be sensing if a vampire comes near us, so we wouldn’t need her protection,” Winwin assured the other. “Also, I can just sleep on the floor.”  
  
Kun laughed but his eyes were on the floor. “It’s okay, Ten trusts you.” He said, looking like he was trying to convince himself. Johnny sighed.  
  
“Don’t be afraid of him,” he told Kun. “He’s not like Jaehyun.”  
  
Ten thought that was the nicest thing Johnny had said to Winwin and even the moon-child looked flattered. That was their plan. Ten did not look forward to sharing his bed with Johnny. Not when everything was different. They were not two young boys being best friends. Johnny did not talk about girls and their pretty hair anymore… Ten feared the darkness. Not because of Jaehyun possibly passing by…

He would have to share a bed with Johnny the whole night.

Ten told his parents about their fear of the moon-children spying, and that is why they would do this. Not that they knew exactly who it would be and that he was dangerous… They just wanted Ten to stay safe.

  
Ten’s mom had not received the reaction she had wished for. The council wasn’t too happy about the idea of meddling in the Moon Village’s problems, as long as it did not bother Sun Valley they were fine. They suggested letting Winwin use the Sunlit Road and travel to a nearby Kingdom. She promised to fight for the cause some more and Ten hated that he had something that would make them listen. Yet his heart wouldn’t let another war begin. He wanted them to be united. He wanted to live in a world where he and Winwin could be together without fear.  
  
Johnny’s whimpers went unnoticed. Ten had one hand dug into the other’s thigh like claws to stop him from opening his mouth. Johnny wanted to help… but he also did not care for a united world and Ten could not let him ruin his dream just for being righteous.

“You should’ve told her.” The taller said as they got ready for bed. The sun had set and Ten had removed the blinds. So had Kun. Ten wondered where Winwin was hiding, because he could not see him in the other room.  
  
“Not yet,” Ten said. “We need the advantage. Jaehyun will know if the Sun Guards come crashing into Torn.”  
  
“Are you sure we can do this?” Johnny asked. “What do you think is going to happen? That we go save Maja without any trouble? What if they give us their blood or worse drain us? You must remember that we are mortal beings, compared to your blood-sucking boyfriend.”  
  
Ten barely realized he was charging at Johnny before he collided with the other’s chest. He only made the other stumble back. “Stop that!” He shouted. “Stop it!”  
  
Johnny signaled surrender by baring his hands. Ten’s nails were digging into his palms as he tried to hold himself back.  
  
“Show him some respect!” He demanded but it sounded like a plea. “You’re my best friend… please don’t make me feel like this…”  
  
Johnny’s embrace was warm, almost scorching, his heartbeat loud, and he smelled like pine trees. “I’m sorry.” He said and Ten knew he meant it. “Forgive me for being this jealous.”  
  
Ten stirred in Johnny’s arms and he felt the taller let go. He dared to look up at the other, into the coffee brown eyes. He trusted those eyes, he always had but now it was like walking on thin ice. “Only if you stop saying stuff like that.” He gave Johnny a small push before he turned to the window. Kun was making the bed, he went to draw the curtains as Johnny normally did at night. Ten knew he should too but decided on doing it half-heartedly. When he turned around the taller was already underneath the covers, lying on his back with his arm behind his head. He was broader than the moon-child and his shoulders much wider. Ten loved warmth but as he crawled beneath the blanket, he wished for the cool embrace that the moon-child had.

“I thought we would find each our girlfriend and get married and live beside each other like we always have…” Johnny’s voice was soft and deep. Ten was lying on his back as well, staring up at the ceiling. His nightlamp threw a warm glow onto it. “I knew you were special to me… different from Kun, but I never thought of it… never truly thought it through before I saw the way you looked at him.”  
  
Ten sighed. “I thought of it.” He said honestly. “Many times. With you, with Kun, with literally every pretty boy I saw. I just wanted to be loved by a boy and not a girl and it was so clear to me. I knew I was gonna be alone all my life, I accepted that, and I got proven wrong.”  
  
Ten inhaled shakily.  
  
“By him.” He breathed. “He showed me love on a whole other level.”  
  
“But in the long run?”  
  
“I love him, Johnny.” Ten said sternly and turned his back to the other. “You were too late.”

  
And that was the truth. Maybe Ten would’ve loved Johnny if the other had acted sooner?

He did love him already. Just not like that.

Ten felt an arm sneak around his waist and he knew better than to push it off him. He was unable to sleep. Winwin and Kun had insisted that Misty stayed at home, so she could protect Ten and so the cat was sleeping soundly on a chair.  
  
Until she started pacing. Back and forth by the window, just beneath the windowsill. Ten felt his whole body go cold and slowly he turned underneath Johnny’s arm and found refuge by hiding his face in the other’s chest. Something was out there and Ten knew it was Jaehyun.  
  
Johnny held him closer even if he was in a deep sleep and Ten felt guilt eat him up. He shouldn’t blame Johnny for not realizing his feelings. Ten wasn’t the one suffering now. It was Johnny.

He pulled back to stare at Johnny’s expression, so peaceful and without worrying frowns or snarky curls of his lips. He had grown a lot, he looked like a man. He was not the boy that Ten had called his best friend once. He was a man and men demanded things, yet Johnny did not demand Ten to love him back. Every time he tried it was a plea… the plea of a boy. So even if he was growing into a man… he was still just a boy.

Ten pushed the other’s hair out of his face and settled his head on his pillow. Maybe if he matched his breathing with Johnny’s, he would fall asleep as well.

  
And eventually, he did.

Daylight woke him up. He had expected darkness and a cool touch with the fresh scent of winter, but instead, it was bright, warm and there was a faint scent of pine and musk. Ten had to push a heavy arm off his body before he could sit up, and he looked out through his window, the gap in the curtains allowed him a view of Johnny’s room. A figure stood there, looking right back at him. Ten felt the bed dip when Johnny sat up as well. Ten didn’t remove his eyes from the moon-child as it backed off into the shadows. Ten felt like getting up and running out of the room, running to him. Johnny was removing sleep from his eyes.  
  
“Were you cold last night?” He asked, his voice a little unsteady, something clinging to his words. Ten didn’t want to tell him that he had sought and found safety in his arms last night.  
  
“Something was outside the window yesterday.” Ten stated in a monotone voice. “I was just acting.”  
  
Ten crawled out of the bed and went towards his bathroom. Johnny was nodding, shoulders slouching. “Of course, the act.” He said and for a moment he was quiet. Ten felt uncomfortable and tried to distract himself with washing his face. When he looked up Johnny was right by the door. He almost jumped at the look on his face. “Did you just say that Jaehyun was outside last night?”  
  
Ten nodded, “Misty was pacing by the window, it’s a clear sign.”  
  
Johnny’s eyes looked almost dangerous. “How dare he.” He seethed and turned back to find his clothes and get dressed. Ten could see he was angry by the way he almost tore in it to get it onto his body. Ten glanced at his own reflection in the mirror. What were they getting into?

They snuck Winwin back in before the bus would come, avoiding Johnny’s parents who knew nothing of their uninvited guest. Ten grabbed the other’s hand in his when they stood in the hallway alone. Johnny and Kun were waiting by the bus. 

  
“He was here.” The moon-child spoke in a deep voice, he seemed calm. “We are still one step ahead it seems.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Ten held back his tears but he felt like he was being unfaithful for sleeping in another’s arms. “I love you.” He whispered as quietly as he could and was pulled into the dark corner by the bottom of the stairs. The moon-child kissed his forehead, fingers brushing over Ten’s cheekbones.  
  
“You even smell like him.” He noted. When Ten opened his mouth, Winwin continued before the sun-child could protest. “We must bear it, my Sun. If we fail… our future will be gone.”  
  
Ten looked up into Winwin’s eyes, he cupped the vampire’s pale face. “I won’t lose it.” He said stubbornly, like a child. The vampire grinned, his eyes fond.  
  
They could hear the roar of the engine and the large wheels of the bus crunching their way down the road. The moon-child covered Ten’s hands with his cold ones.  
  
“Then stop feeling guilty. I know you’re doing this for us. Now go.”

He said it with a smile, but Ten’s heart wasn’t reassured. The moon-child’s eyes failed to hide the sadness that had found its home in them.


	6. Chapter 6

Nina, who Ten had not even bothered to notice, appeared in front of them as they tried to enter. Ten had entered right after Kun with Johnny taking up the back, and so Kun stood face to face with her. The bus driver told them to sit down in a lazy but gruff voice. Ten tried to make an apologetic smile and a wave, when he did, he looked up to see Johnny’s face flush. Ten frowned, eyeing how the other’s lips pressed into a thin line. He turned back around to look at Nina. She sent a sharp look in Johnny’s direction, but then her gaze moved to Kun. Ten’s frown deepened.  
  
“I know you and Maja are dating, but it’s time you loser let her hang out with her actual friends.” She said, there was a bite to her words, and they stung. Kun stumbled back when the bus driver decided that waiting would be a waste of time. Johnny reached out to support Ten, keeping him from falling. It caught Nina’s eye and she looked up at her ex-boyfriend. “So, you lied to me, when we broke up? Did she not like you back?”  
  
Ten had to glance back at Johnny. His face was glowing with embarrassment. He couldn’t look anyone in the eye. “None of your business, Nina.” He then replied, returning her glare. “Now get off our backs.” He growled and Nina didn’t even look shocked, she looked annoyed.  
  
Kun decided to speak up. “Maja is ill, her parents said she was getting better. Will probably come to school next week.” He lied and squeezed past her. Ten purposely bumped his shoulder with her. He never liked her anyway. When Johnny passed by, she sat down before they could collide.

Kun sank into one seat and Ten took the one beside him, pulling his friend in close. Kun hid his face in his shoulder. Johnny sat down in the opposite row. His expression was grim, and he gave Ten a look before eyeing the scenery they were passing by. The usual white houses, the small lake with a bridge across it and grassy areas for picnics. Their lives were idyllic and full of bright colors, and a forest kept them safe from monsters that wanted to ruin this perfectly happy life. Ten must be a monster himself if he did not find happiness here. Yet he had once heard a woman say, that love is found in even the darkest of places. All he ever wanted in life was love and to belong. He found love in the darkness and now he wondered if he would have to snuff out his own light, in order to be in the darkness with his love? Kun hugged his arm close and Ten felt his stomach twist, he could not leave his friends, could he? They needed him and he needed them.

Kun pulled his shoulders back and lifted his chin when he walked through the entrance doors of the school. Their classes were always a bit scattered on Fridays, they only had one together before lunch and so Johnny went down the hall, leaving Kun and Ten to move together towards their classes. Ten found himself watching Johnny’s form retreat. It would be good with some distance, he did not like the tension between them.  
  
Kun pulled Ten towards one side of the hall before they separated. “He told me. Winwin.” He said, fingers massaging Ten’s palms. The sun-child almost took a step backward into the traffic of moving bodies, but he was tugged back. “I understand, Ten, I do. You’ve always seemed like you were lonely. I know you aren’t anymore and I’m happy for you.” Kun smiled.  
  
Ten pulled the other in for a hug, his heart felt so reassured and relieved. “We will get her back.” He promised in a whisper.  
The bell rang, and Ten had to let Kun go. He waved at the other, knowing they would meet again, but their friendship seemed to have grown more special. More true. Being honest with your friends was not a bad thing. Ten could actually focus on his class now.

In the first small break, Ten had just finished a class which Jaehyun was also in. The vampire was sitting with his friends, and Ten was sitting alone, drawing moons, suns, flowers, and stars in his notebook. Johnny and Kun would arrive soon, and Jaehyun would leave. Ten found himself listening as the other spoke to his friends.  
  
“I am so ready for tomorrow,” one of his friends said. He was slender and had a skin color like dark oak. “I even skipped out on the last hunt.”  
  
Jaehyun gave the other a warning glare and Ten fixed his gaze on his paper before the vampire’s eyes landed on him. “I will stock up on some drinks tonight.” He assured them. “This party will be awesome, we don’t want a lame one like last time.”  
  
“Couldn’t even enjoy myself, how dare Winwin run off like a coward? The wolves have been granted permission to attack if they find him in their territory.”  
  
“Could you keep your voice down, Colm?” Jaehyun hissed.  
  
“What? Like the sun-children would care. None of them have made a fuss after his disappearance, not even the school? They don’t care about us, they want to keep their hands clean.”  
  
“They’re the only ones benefitting from this peace-treaty. We’re starving ourselves.”  
  
Jaehyun watched his friends’ bicker. Then he met Ten’s gaze and Ten knew he could not hide. He gave Jaehyun a small wave, and the vampire smiled back. Behind Jaehyun’s figure came in a tall one clad in white and Ten felt relief wash through him. Johnny took a seat beside Ten, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and Kun dropped down beside the taller.  
  
“I heard from Yangyang that they have prepared new drinks for the party tomorrow. Everything will go crazy at Torn.” He gossiped. Ten gave him a pointed look. It was good to act as normal, talking about parties as if everything was as it was.  
  
“I was getting tired of Starlight.” Johnny admitted, leaning back in his seat and playing with Ten’s cardigan.  
  
“Just hope it won’t give us a terrible hangover.” Ten mumbled and glanced in Jaehyun’s direction. The vampire moved his eyes away. He was obviously listening, and Ten looked at his friends with a smile. Maybe they were doing good. Ten had hope.

After Advanced Art Class, which felt incredibly empty without a certain moon-child, Ten assured his teacher that he could do the work alone. He knew Johnny would wait by the gate, and he would love to return home early. The vampire was lingering in his mind, entering the supply room made his skin come alive with touches that they had shared in there. He grabbed around one of the shelves, remembering how it shook and smiled to himself. They were foolish to do it here, but at that moment all they thought about was feeling each other.  
  
Ten inhaled deeply, calming his body down. He shouldn’t think of such things when a vampire – one who was not loving – had come to his home. His home was supposed to be safe. Ten hurried out of the room, grabbing the bucket of warm soap-water and bringing it with him. It was heavy and he settled it in the middle of the room. He could hear Winwin’s laugh bounce off the walls when he avoided drops of water. The boy looked younger when he smiled, and his wine-red hair bounced on top of his head. He was beautiful, Ten thought as he made sure to throw water one more time, just one more time so he could earn that gleeful sound of the vampire’s laugh.  
  
Now the room was empty and quiet.

He was cleaning the floor, watching red paint smear and getting a sick feeling in his stomach. Blood was not an uncommon thing to see, after all he was human and he had lost count of all the times he had fallen and scraped a knee, or when Johnny got nosebleed after fighting the wrong bully. Sports were always unkind to Kun who received several balls to the face. It was common, but not in huge amounts. He had not seen someone bleed a lot and he was grateful for that.

He thought of Maja when he wiped the floor, and if she was still alive. He hoped she was. She needed to be. Jaehyun did not have the guts to kill a human, did he?

Then he heard steps in the hallway and he stilled, eyeing the door. He clutched onto the wooden handle of the mop and felt his heart beat faster. He had not agreed with Johnny that he would come to the Art Classroom. So, who was on their way?  
  
The steps came to a stop outside of the door and Ten eyed the windows leading to the hall, he could not see anything through them. Only the ceiling.  
  
It wasn’t Jaehyun. He told himself.

But how could he be so stupid? He should’ve asked Johnny to come. Being alone in an abandoned Art Classroom was the perfect spot. No one would be suspicious, Johnny would wait because he knew it took at least 20 minutes to clean up and now Ten had 10 minutes before the other would suspect anything.  
  
Could he make it to the window? Would Johnny hear if he called for help?

Ten looked down at the wooden shaft. It would do, but it was not sharp enough to pierce skin and did Ten have the strength? Did he have the courage?

“Can I come in?” Ten wasn’t sure who it sounded like, but the voice was familiar. Ten prepared himself, taking in a deep breath. “Am I welcome?” The voice tried again.  
  
“Yes.” Ten replied and waited.  
  
“Thank you.” The voice replied and Ten was sure it was Jaehyun. He had sounded odd, but it was him. He had come. Ten could just as well prepare for death.

He could run into the supply room and lock the door. Barricade it.

The handle of the door turned down and Ten held his breath. Too late.

“Hey, Ten.”

The voice was warm and gentle, and Ten’s shoulders fell in relief as Johnny peeked inside. “Oh, it’s you.” He breathed in relief.  
  
Johnny grinned. “Of course,” he assured the other. “Wouldn’t be wise to leave you alone.” He said. “Waited down the hall, actually.”  
  
Ten smiled. “Thank you, John.” He said honestly.

The two of them went down the stairs, and Ten stopped by the sign pointing towards the basement. The tunnel down there would take the moon-children home. It was in this spot that Winwin kissed him.  
  
Johnny held the door to the hallway open, leaning against it and watching Ten. “What are you thinking?”  
  
Ten shrugged. “I wonder if this is where Jaehyun comes through at night.” He said honestly. “Even though I know the doors are supposed to shut I-”  
  
Johnny was frowning, looking down the hall. “Oh.” He breathed and stepped away from the door, closing it as quietly as possible. Ten frowned at him, the taller pulled him over to the wall.  
  
“Johnny, what are you-”  
  
“Do you trust me?” The taller asked him, his large hands on Ten’s shoulders. The smaller pouted, what was that supposed to mean. He had always trusted Johnny, his best friend was loyal and protective. He had Ten’s back whenever Ten needed him, but why did Ten feel a moment skip by before he could reply? Why did he instead focus on the way Johnny’s face tipped down, the way he stood so close, intimately close? His brown eyes were waiting, pleading for a reply that had drowned in Ten’s throat, but he knew he could not wait any longer with it. He trusted Johnny as a friend, but the way Johnny looked at him was not friendly. Ten did not trust this person who had his heart on his sleeve. He was dangerous. He was thin ice.  
  
“Of course,” Ten assured him.

The ice gave in, and Johnny’s warmth swallowed him. Ten’s eyes widened when Johnny’s hands came up to his jaw and his lips caught Ten’s in a kiss. It was forbidden, it was across a line drawn in the sand and the water was way too deep. Ten couldn’t swim here, his toes did not touch the ground.  
  
“Jo-” He tried when he could speak, but the taller pressed against him, and his hands gripped the taller’s jacket. Johnny’s kiss was warm and overwhelming, it was like the sun’s rays on a hot summer day and Ten felt like he was burning.

The door opened wide and Ten felt the cold air embrace him when Johnny pulled back. Ten gasped for air and looked at the intruder.  
  
Jaehyun’s jaws were clenched shut and his friend’s jaw had dropped. Johnny grabbed Ten’s wrist and pulled him past the two in a hurry to get away. Ten looked back at Jaehyun and saw the other’s eyes narrow. Quickly he turned back to stare up at his best friend’s broad shoulders.

As soon as they were on their way down the street, Ten writhed out of the grip that had felt like iron chains.  
  
“Are you out of your mind?!” Ten shouted and watched Johnny’s eyes turn to the sky before they settled on him, his lips pressed into a thin line. Ten did not let him speak. “As a friend, I trusted you to protect our friendship and you do this?! I can’t deal with this?”  
  
Johnny’s eyebrow cocked. “What? You have doubts?”  
  
Ten gasped loudly, gawping at his huge idiot of a best friend. “Doubts?!” He shrieked. “You got a lot of nerve to say that.”  
  
Johnny shrugged his shoulders and turned away. “I will keep you safe, Ten.”  
  
“You have done well!” He said sarcastically and stormed past the taller. “I don’t want to see you in my house, or I will let my _boyfriend_ have you as his next meal.”  
  
Johnny huffed, but he did not catch up with Ten. The smaller quickly figured he did not have to run since it seemed like the taller waited. It made him even angrier.

Kun was waiting outside Ten’s house, sitting on the steps by the front door and looking lost in his thoughts. Ten took a moment to catch his breath, he had been walking as fast as he could. Seeing his friend look so down made him push back his own worries, and he headed over to the other, taking a seat by his friend’s side.  
  
“I’m sure Winwin could’ve opened the door for you.” He said quietly. Kun inhaled deeply and exhaled in a sigh.  
  
“I’m sure he could…” He replied.  
  
“What are you thinking?” Ten asked, searching his friend’s face.  
  
“I wonder if I even have the courage to face Jaehyun. If I can truly stand up to him and get Maja out of there.”  
  
“You won’t be alone.” Ten promised. “You got us by your side.”  
  
“Three sun-children and a vampire against – how many?” Kun wasn’t looking at him, but Ten felt a little defeated anyway. “What can we do?”  
  
Ten turned his eyes onto where he was picking at the fabric of his pants. “Stand together.” He said and lifted his gaze to the gate. He knew that Johnny was almost there. The thought of the taller made him stand and he looked down at Kun.  
  
“Can you do one thing for me?” He asked and Kun nodded, getting up as well and brushing the back of his pants off. Ten could feel his annoyance rise up in him. “Keep Johnny away from me for today please.”  
  
Kun’s eyes widened. “What did he do?” He asked with a gasp.  
  
“He kissed me. In front of Jaehyun.”  
  
Kun’s face went from horror to something looking like he was impressed. “Well, it is part of the act, right? Maybe you convinced him?”  
  
Ten knew that was true. “I just… He did it without warning me and I’m mad at him.”  
  
Kun nodded understandingly, patting Ten’s shoulder. “I got your back. I’ll knock some sense into his head.”  
  
Ten grinned. “Thank you.”

Kun looked happy for the distraction and so Ten felt a little better. He entered his house and greeted Misty. The vampire waited for him by his usual spot.  
  
“He kissed you?” He asked, voice deep and Ten felt his heart drop. He picked up Misty and avoided the other’s eyes.  
  
“If you continued listening, it was because Jaehyun was passing by.” _Why was he defending Johnny? He was mad at him?_ “I may be able to sleep alone tonight.” He said and let his eyes meet the gaze of the vampire’s.  
  
“No,” the vampire objected. “You shouldn’t-”  
  
Ten straightened his back. “I should. I want to.” He stated, he went into the kitchen, searching through cabinets and a humming fridge. Misty hung on one arm, purring against him. The vampire followed him, settling for a seat by the counter and watching Ten with sad eyes.  
  
“Do you wish,” he began hesitantly. “Do you wish for a life where your love could spend time under the sun?” He asked.  
  
Ten sighed and hugged Misty close to his chest, she did not struggle against him, almost as if she felt his distress and knew that he needed the comfort. “I do.” He replied. “Reason keeps telling me not to hold onto something that cannot be. How could the sun and the moon be in the sky at the same time? Eclipses happen so rarely… I wish we could be under the same God and that you weren’t ruled by the moon. I wish we did not have to hide, I wish…” Ten’s sight was blurry. He sunk to the floor, his knees not being able to carry his weight. “I don’t want to be angry with Johnny, because I know he is sad. I don’t want to be frightened for my life. I want a certain future.” Ten let go of Misty and covered his eyes. The cat did not move out of his lap. Ten felt a hand caressing his back and he was embraced by the moon-child. “I’m tired.” He whispered and felt the arms around him tighten their hold. Ten leaned into the touch, resting his head on the other’s shoulder and feeling the other’s skin against his nose. The vampire’s touch did not overwhelm him with heat but instead brought him a coolness that calmed him. When his breath started to even out and Misty left his lap to wander, he felt the vampire switch so that he could look down at the sun-child. Ten looked up at him and felt as if his breath was stolen. The moon-child closed the distance between their faces, connecting their lips. Ten’s mind cleared and he did not feel the cold hard tiles, only the silky feeling of the vampire’s lips and the fire it started within him.

He opened his mouth, letting the vampire in and gradually their need fought its way through and Ten shifted to be in Winwin’s lap. Deep sighs sounded in the kitchen, they were hidden by the two counters and Ten knew his parents wouldn’t be home soon, so he shrugged off his cardigan, worked on his belt. The vampire kissed his neck, licking spots he knew made small gasps escape Ten’s lips. Ten let himself lean back and felt the vampire’s arms around him, keeping him from falling and slowly letting him down. Ten was reminded of their first time together, on the carpet of the cabin. He lifted his hips so the vampire could pull down in his pants, tugging them over one ankle to allow himself in between Ten’s legs. He dove down, pushing Ten’s legs up and left the other squirming and whining.  
  
“I want you,” Ten pleaded, the vampire came up to press kisses to Ten’s jaw. Ten buried his fingers in the other’s hair, moaning at the way the fingers inside of him brushed against that knot of pleasure. “I want you inside of me.”  
  
“You’re not ready yet.” The vampire whispered in reply against his neck, but Ten only whined.  
  
“I don’t care.” He stated and reached down between them, forcing Winwin to pull his fingers out and let Ten open the buttons of his chinos.  
  
“It will hurt.” The moon-child warned him, sounding worried and Ten wrapped his legs around the other, keeping him from pulling away.  
  
“Then bite me.” He whispered.  
  
The vampire froze, his dark eyes searching Ten’s. “Johnny wi-”  
  
“Fuck Johnny.” Ten said while re-adjusting himself. “He does not know what I want.”  
  
Winwin smirked, “but I do.” He said and Ten grinned.  
  
“You do.” He agreed breathlessly. It made the moon-child lean down to kiss him with a burning need and Ten felt the other against him, pushing in. His jaw fell open, his eyes squeezing shut as he felt the pain. The vampire pulled away from his lips and licked his way down his neck to his shoulder. Ten knew that would sting too, but he did not mind. His whole body was electric with the euphoria and it only grew more intense when the vampire buried his fangs in his shoulder and pushing all the way in. They were connected once again. A burning eclipse in the dark sky.

They showered together. Ten let the water be cooler than he used to have it and the vampire found entertainment in washing the other’s hair.  
  
“Don’t you shower?” Ten asked when the vampire put soap in his hair for the third time.  
  
“In bathtubs yeah, like once a week maybe less depending on how clean you keep yourself.” The vampire replied while massaging Ten’s scalp. The sun-child sighed.  
  
“That feels nice.” He muttered and the moon-child chuckled.  
  
“Does it hurt?” He asked when his fingers brushed over the bite-mark. Ten shook his head.  
  
“It’s numb.” He said and washed out the soap. “I’m not fragile.” He assured the vampire and tip-toed to reach other’s lips. He was pulled close.  
  
“Tougher than me.”  
  
Ten laughed against the other’s lips. “Don’t lie.”

They busied themselves with homework. Winwin was quite excellent at all of his subjects, and Ten was grateful for his help, but also just a tiny bit annoyed by the other’s brilliance. As dinner time came, his father called him down. His mother began talking almost immediately and Ten found himself happy that she wanted to share her work with him and Winwin. She was fighting for another meeting with the Lords of the Clans from Moon Village and the politicians from Sun Valley to happen. She had gotten people to listen when she said that the problems in Moon Village affected the school and the kids and that made the Council listen.

Ten helped with the dishes and as he did, he eyed the tiled floor. He looked up to see the moon-child smirk to himself. He quickly avoided the other’s gaze, feeling his cheeks flush with heat. It only earned a chuckle from the moon-child.

Kun came to bring Winwin over to Johnny’s place. Afterwards, he appeared by the door again and Ten frowned. He thought he had been clear about wanting to be alone.  
  
“They did finally agree on something and that was me sleeping here.” He said with a grin and Ten sighed.  
  
“Fine.” He groaned and let the other inside. He did not regret it though. He found it nice to be with Kun alone. They could bicker about small things and eat snacks, talking about unimportant subjects.  


They fell asleep in Ten’s bed, the curtains covered the windows and Ten lied in his bed wondering if Winwin and Johnny were currently murdering each other, or if they had resorted to ignoring each other.

Misty was stretching to her full length between the two sun-children, and Ten let his fingers run across her soft fur, thinking about the moon-child and dreaming about a future that his mother could make happen. Ten smiled and felt sleep embrace him. He was exhausted.

He woke up when Misty got up and jumped down from the bed. For a moment he thought it was because she wanted to find a cooler place to sleep, but then he heard her pace back and forth by the window. Ten pushed himself up on one arm, glancing over the edge of the bed. It was dark outside, and he could not hear anything. He waited for her to stop and when she moved over to the door, he realized she probably just needed to get out to pee. He forced himself to leave the warmth of the bed. Misty looked up at him with wide eyes. Ten smiled down at her and reached for the handle, but then she hissed at him and he startled.  
  
“Misty, what is up with you?” He asked and pulled the door open. “What is it?”

“You should know better.” Ten’s body froze over. Misty wasn’t hissing at him but the door, or rather the person standing there. He was dressed in all black. Ten did not need to look up to know who it was. “Thank you for letting me in, Ten.”  
  
Ten looked up and met Jaehyun's dark eyes.

None of it had worked.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT POSTING THIS CHAP SOONER !!!
> 
> 2nd year of college started and I was just so busy, but now I'm back! I'm writing the last chapter now!

Jaehyun smiled. “I thought you were smarter than this, Ten.” He said and stepped closer. “I’m tired of you underestimating me.”  
  
Ten wanted to open his mouth and scream, but Jaehyun’s icy grip on his throat stopped him. Quickly Ten kicked Misty out of the way and she fled to safety under the bed. Jaehyun’s eyes moved to Kun’s sleeping figure. “This almost couldn’t get better.” He grinned. Ten tried to struggle but Jaehyun forced him backward, letting the other vampire behind him enter. It was the dark-skinned one from school, Colm. Ten was choking and his sight was full of black spots. Kun let out a muffled scream when he was stolen from the bed. Jaehyun spun Ten around and held him close to his chest and shared a wicked grin with his friend.   
  
“Let’s get to Torn before dawn breaks.”  
  
Ten looked into Kun’s eyes, in the dim light from the moon that slipped past the curtains he saw only fear. He did not like that look in Kun’s eyes.

Ten kept telling himself that Winwin would hear, that Johnny would come barging through but none of them showed. Ten tried to scream, he tried to fight but Jaehyun wouldn’t have it. He threw Ten to the green grass, still close to where Ten lived. Still close to Winwin.

Ten opened his mouth to scream, and Jaehyun lifted one foot and kicked. The hit knocked him out, only shortly did he feel how it rattled his bones and then unconsciousness embraced him.

When he woke up, he was in a much familiar room. The carpet beneath his palms had been felt before. In those moments he was never afraid, but as he pushed himself up, his head thundering, he felt fear in his heart. Jaehyun was on the bed, away from the light that came through the curtain covering the small window. He was at the cabin, in the very room where his life changed. Where he felt his body and his heart come alive.

  
Now it felt like life was seeping out of him. He looked at Jaehyun, all hope within him gone. It was daylight. Winwin couldn’t move to Torn before the sun began to set, and Johnny could not show up alone. Ten wondered if his parents were alright. If Misty would ever forgive him for kicking her…

  
Maybe he would never know. Maybe Jaehyun had killed them all.

  
“I did not,” Jaehyun said as if he heard Ten’s thoughts. It made the sun-child’s eyes widen. Jaehyun swung his legs over the edge of the bed, leaning on his elbows which rested on his thighs and looking down at Ten. “I did tell them to sleep soundly, you were hanging out with Johnny, he was keeping you safe.”   
  
Ten wasn’t gagged, but somehow, he couldn’t speak.   
  
“I hoped to find him with you… But he must come here now that I have you. I know he has been hiding in Sun Valley.”   
  
Ten felt relieved. At least Winwin had been safe with Johnny. Ten found that surprising.   
  
“You don’t seem that loyal.” He said and stood from his seat, looking down at Ten. “Kissing a moon-child and then just a week later you’re all over that idiot of a captain.” Jaehyun crouched down, a cold hand coming up to brush over Ten’s cheek. It sent a spark through him and he felt like he could finally move, finally talk. His mind reeled before it forced him to think, to react and to flee.   
  
Ten spun around and pushed himself up to get to the door. This was where his life truly began, where he realized he was not alone. He could not die in this room.  
  
Jaehyun was careful to avoid the light before he caught the back of Ten’s pajamas and Ten was dragged back. He stumbled and fell to the floor, one arm catching the bed to keep himself from crashing into it.   
  
“Where do you think you’re going, pretty thing?” Jaehyun asked and grabbed Ten to place him on the bed. “Sit.” He told him and Ten hated himself for obeying, but he did not want to die before night came around. “I will go take a rest,” Jaehyun informed him. “You just stay here, looking pretty and waiting for the sun to set. I won’t kill you before our main guest arrives.”

Ten whimpered. His Moon would walk straight into a trap.

Jaehyun even knocked before coming in and it made Ten’s blood boil. He had been lying on the bed, drifting into a sleep full of nightmares and then lying awake, trying to convince himself that they weren’t true.   
  
When the tall handsome vampire entered, he found that they couldn’t be worse than reality.   
  
“Sleeping beauty.” Jaehyun smiled. “When next Friday comes around, save your kisses for me.” He said and laughed. Ten did not find that funny, yet he did not try to protest. After all, why say that they tried to fool Jaehyun when the vampire clearly hadn’t been fooled.”  
  
“Why did you tell on Winwin?” He instead said, knowing it had been a question he knew he had to ask. He had been preparing for a conversation as he waited.   
  
Jaehyun shrugged. “He caught me sneaking back to the school, the weekend before. I told him it was because I had a girlfriend, it worked on everyone else, but not him. I guess he knew how it really worked. He had all the experience.” The vampire took a seat beside Ten, bringing Ten’s hands into his lap. Ten tried to pull them back, but the vampire was stronger. “He tried to get his mother back, saying he had valuable information. We don’t really enjoy people who can’t keep secrets. Thing is I am not the only one sneaking through. Many go back to school to meet up with a fling, and us young vampires are allowed a little extra space to unfold and learn who we are. He did not have the real dirt on me, so I decided to keep myself safe and sacrifice him instead.”   
  
“He did not deserve it.” Ten’s voice was barely a whisper. “He is good.”  
  
“He is a monster, dear sun-child,” Jaehyun replied back in the same whisper. “What is it with you faint-hearted children? Falling in love with beasts? I thought you lived such happy lives?”  
  
Ten sighed. That was a lie. “You aren’t monsters. Maybe your nature goes against ours, but you can live without killing human beings, so why are you keeping to your old ways? If there is good inside of you, why resort to the darkness?”  
  
Jaehyun put Ten’s hands back and stood. He laughed. “Blinded by love… So you truly fell for him? Pathetic.” Jaehyun re-adjusted his uniform. “I can’t wait to see his face when I-” Jaehyun noticed Ten’s eyes widen. “Oh, let’s save it as a surprise.” He chuckled, flicking one loose strand of blond hair out of his face.  
  
Ten got up, and in the very moment of Jaehyun turning away, he stormed forwards and kicked. But if he couldn’t make Johnny budge, how could he affect Jaehyun in any way. The only thing he earned was his arm being wringed and robes around his wrists. Ten did not cry out in pain but held it in. He was too angry to be afraid.

Or so he thought.

When he went into the hallway, he noticed that the sun had set. Twilight was upon them and that was perfect for the moon-children. Soon a huge party would be thrown, and no one would know about a few missing kids.   
  
Ten was taken downstairs, but that was when he heard a commotion. The front door had been forced off its hinges and were on the floor. Shadows moved around, fighting, Ten realized, he was watching a fight but it was going fast. Winwin was easy to spot because he was wearing a loose white shirt that probably had belonged to Johnny.  
  
The sun-child was nowhere in sight. Jaehyun forced Ten to his knees and held him down. Winwin noticed him as he threw one boy across the room and Ten saw fear in his eyes as well. Ten did not want that look on his love’s face, but the fear soon changed to anger. Ten gawped as the moon-child fought the vampires off with incredible speed and strength. This was the vampire in action, its true nature. With white sharp fangs and angry eyes. Ten wondered how they could be beaten in battle when they looked so vicious.   
  
The others went for his wrists, locking him in their grips, but he shook them off. When two of them succeeded to catch him again, Jaehyun let go of Ten and went forwards. Ten tried to get on his feet without the support of his hands, but he was too slow. Jaehyun let a wooden spear slip through his sleeve into the palm of his hand, and with Winwin focused on fighting off the other two, he went through the fighting vampires easily and raised the spear. It was the length of Ten’s lower arm and it could kill.   
  
Ten screamed, he wasn’t sure if he pleaded for it not to happen or if he called out Winwin’s name, but it caught the boy’s attention. He stopped fighting for the shortest moment, looking for Ten and checking if he was safe, but that was when Jaehyun struck. Ten fell over in shock, watching the spear pierce the left side of Winwin’s chest, right by his shoulder. Winwin’s body seemed to move with the blow, his bangs falling over his eyes that still were fixed on Ten’s figure. One of the moon-child’s knees gave in and he collapsed onto the floor, his right hand gripping onto the spear that was deep in his muscles. Jaehyun turned around and dusted off his hands as if it was nothing.   
  
He smiled to himself. “Let’s go downstairs, shall we?”

The basement was dirty but bare. It did not have a clutter of things that the rooms above couldn’t contain. It only had a small table at one corner and people Ten knew. He had seen Jaehyun’s friends before, the ones Winwin had fought were of various ages, some older, some younger. Colm was keeping Kun against the wall by the stairs, and Maja was bound to the wall on the right, held by bindings that were made of satin. Ten found it ridiculous. She was a captive, but they found the decency not to bind her with rough material.   
  
Ten was placed by Kun’s side and Winwin was led past them. He was still for now, probably in some sort of shock from the pain. Kun stared at the other with wide eyes.   
  
“Is he dead?” He asked and Ten shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line.   
  
Ten glanced at Maja. She looked like a corpse. She was thin and pale with dark circles beneath her eyes that were too deep for it to be healthy. Her hair was matt, and she barely seemed to be conscious.  
  
Kun noticed Ten’s stare. “She could barely say my name.” He whispered, not trusting his voice to speak. Ten leaned against him, it was the only comfort he could give.   
  
Jaehyun seemed proud of his work. “I had to keep up the charm, my charm only lasts a day. Long enough to run if that is what you want to do, but- I am not running.”   
  
Winwin huffed. “You will be.”  
  
Jaehyun looked annoyed by the interruption, but he continued after one of the vampires holding Winwin made sure to press the wooden spear further into his shoulder. Winwin’s scream was painful, and Ten pleaded for the vampire to stop. It only made the boy snicker.   
  
“It was an accident the first time it happened.” Jaehyun began. “The first time I tasted human blood… a revelation, a rebellion!”

_Jaehyun was with a boy that had a face like marble as if he belonged in the halls of the castle his clan lived in. In the moon’s light, his skin looked cold and pale like a statue, but the beads of sweat on his forehead gave it away. He was alive._  
  
There was a flush in his cheeks, his lips red from abuse and his heart galloping as he reached his high. Jaehyun knew that the other vampires in his clan would go on their knees for him, but he found excitement in being with the fragile warm sun-children. Especially when they enjoyed the darkness, even if it was just for one night.   
  
It had gotten a little rough that night, the dresser banged against the wall and they were far from quiet, but the cabin was full of noise and voices. No one would mind them.   
  
He had lifted up in the boy before he could slide from his grasp when his thighs lost their strength around Jaehyun’s hips. He did it swiftly, but sun-children were clumsy, and the boy’s nose met Jaehyun’s jaw.   
  
It didn’t break, but the boy cried out in pain and covered it, now not moaning in pleasure but pain. Jaehyun let him down and groaned. So much for a good night. “I’m sure it didn’t break, Ta-”  
  
“No, Jaehyun it’s not broken but… oh…” The boy removed his hand and stopped speaking when a crimson drop of warm liquid ran down over his lips. Jaehyun felt his throat tighten and his stance faltered. The boy held out a hand, catching the drops. “It’s just a nosebleed.” He said casually and then looked up at Jaehyun, noticing the way the vampire’s expression had changed. “Oh yeah, vampire.” He remembered.   
  
Jaehyun had just been on a hunt, so he wasn’t starving, yet some part of him craved the sweet scent. So, he went closer, cornering the boy against the dresser again and kissing him. Blood mixed into the kiss and it lit his taste buds on fire. He could feel it spread some wild energy through him, better than an orgasm, better than anything he had ever felt.  
  
It was just a taste, but now Jaehyun knew it, and he would never forget it. 

“I did it to kids who were too drunk to realize what was happening. Made sure to charm them into thinking it was a love-bite. Foolish of them.” Jaehyun picked at a loose strand on his pants. “I tested out my luck and indeed I found a book of the old religion. I want to try it out. I believe that is the correct way, that it is necessary, or we will die out as a species. The werewolves breed like rabbits and we… we stay alive, but we do not change in numbers. If a war breaks out in the Moon Village, I don’t want to be on the losing side.”

Winwin shook his head. “There is no war.” He panted and Jaehyun grinned.   
  
“You know nothing. You foolish creature.” He huffed. “Did you know, guys, this sun-child here claims that what he and Winwin share… is _love_.”   
  
Laughter boomed, bouncing off the walls and awakening Maja. Ten prayed that she would stay quiet, but at the sight of Kun, she moved. “Kun,” she spoke through such a horse voice it came out as a squeak. Ten had to look away.   
  
Jaehyun smiled. “I think it is time, boys.” He said and went over to Maja. “Let’s drain her.” He said and untied her before pulling her to his chest. She could barely stand, so he lowered into a crouch. She fell against him, blue eyes upon Kun. “First, let’s give her a little something.” He smiled.   
  
“Jaehyun that is illegal.” Winwin spoke through gritted teeth. “You’ve already broken enough laws, but this… this will start another war between the Sun and Moon.”  
  
“And let it start!” Jaehyun snarled. “Let it break out with a bunch of Sun-blooded moon-children on our side. They will listen to their Creator.” Jaehyun grinned. “I had a boy in mind to change first, but he has been hiding from me…” Jaehyun looked like his mind wandered for a moment. “He’ll join me.” He smiled. “Now let’s start with this little girl before she decides to leave us. Some do not have that self-control.” Jaehyun spoke pointedly and Colm seemed to avoid looking at the other. Ten felt disgusted. He wanted to shout and scream.   
  
Jaehyun lifted his wrist and bit down. Winwin struggled and Ten heard his voice join in on the shouting. Kun cried, pleading for Jaehyun to stop, for Maja to fight back. Yet when Jaehyun put his wrist to her lips, it was as if all life came back into her eyes. She grabbed onto Jaehyun’s wrist to keep it there and then she drank. Ten got up on his feet and charged forwards but Colm knocked him down and he couldn’t stop his fall, landing on his shoulder. A jolt of pain made him cry out. Colm kept him down and Ten looked at Jaehyun with clenched jaws. Kun fell to the side, fainting at the sight in front of him. __  
  
“Jaehyun. Stop!” Winwin pleaded through gritted teeth. Maja’s eyes were rolling into the back of her head as if the action of drinking from Jaehyun’s wrist was euphoric. She looked so pale and fragile and maybe it was her body needing it. She had been drained for a week.   
  
“Technically, she’s drinking her own blood that has been poisoned in my veins.” Jaehyun grinned. Then he pried her hands off his arm. “Should I give some to our beloved friend? The sun-children doesn’t deserve him, he is far from being one of them.” Jaehyun pulled his wrist to himself and walked over to Ten, crouching down in front of him. The lamp in the ceiling was behind him and his face was in the shadow. Winwin shook his head, tears threatening to fall.  
  
“Please, Jaehyun, please don’t.” He begged. Ten stared up at Jaehyun, it hurt to hear his lover cry for him. Ten knew he should plead as well, but if Ten had been taught well in the lore of Moon Village, he should know that he would not turn immediately. Only if he died. Winwin was struggling harder now. Trashing against the hold of the two vampires. The wooden spear in his shoulder had drawn dark red blood. It was drenching the white shirt he had borrowed. The pain did not seem to bother him.   
  
“Do you want to join us?” Jaehyun asked. “You’ll be stronger, faster and better than you are now.”  
  
Ten knew it was tempting. He was tired of being weak, of being a prey to monsters like Jaehyun. He wanted to become strong so he could destroy people like Jaehyun. He wanted to bury a wooden spear in the vampire’s chest. He did not care about vampire laws, they could try to get him, as long as he rid Jaehyun from the earth. “Just open your mouth, pretty thing.” Jaehyun smiled gently. “Taste it. It tastes sweet and it’s cool.”   
  
Ten kept his lips shut. Kun lied there on the ground, still unconscious after seeing his girlfriend drinking from Jaehyun’s wrist right in front of him. Ten knew what Kun’s fate would be, to be drained like her… to be turned like her and Kun did not deserve a life in the shadow. Ten could not save him and Winwin could not fight.  
  
A pale hand curled around his throat and Ten’s eyes snapped to the vampire above him. Jaehyun held up his wrist and clenched his fist, letting drops fall to Ten’s face. The sun-child squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the blood on his chin. It smelled of iron and it smelled sweet too.   
  
“Hold him.” Jaehyun ordered in a deep and cold tone and Ten’s eyes widened, seeing hands come into his vision and he tried to protest through shut lips. One vampire was pinching his nose and he couldn’t breathe. He would have to open his mouth in order to get the much-needed oxygen. He could not hold his breath forever.   
  
His Moon was roaring but none of it helped, weakened by the wooden spear in his shoulder. “Don’t taint him!”

Ten’s lungs started to scream for air and his chest was hurting and his heartbeat loud and desperate in his chest. He could feel his heartbeat in his whole body, loud and fast. He would have to open his mouth, he did not want to die. His mind started to replay memories in his head, fast as if he drove past them. He saw Johnny, when he was much smaller with shorter hair and a big foolish smile on his face. He saw Kun running towards him with his short nose and his cheeks round. He saw his parents kissing, he saw his best friends looking at him, both of them teens. He saw that boy from another class who made him realize he truly had a crush. He saw Winwin who made him realize he could fall and in love and be loved. For a short moment, he thought of Johnny, and he wondered where he was. In his last moments, his best friend wasn’t there.   
  
He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to forget the smile that had crept onto Jaehyun’s features, he enjoyed seeing Ten’s despair. In the darkness, the memory of the people he loved smiling at him, he heard Winwin’s voice above his heartbeat that hammered in his chest. “It’s okay, my sun. I love you still. I will always love you.”  
  
Jaehyun spun around, removing his wrist and Ten opened his mouth, gasping for air. “Love,” he hissed. “You cannot-”  
  
It was almost like an explosion. One none had heard. Ten realized that what he thought had been his heartbeat was steps. The wooden door to the basement exploded, and a piece of wood flew to pierce the vampire standing behind Ten’s back. The sun-child threw himself to the floor, covering his ears. A growl, low and deep came from an animal that sprang onto the nearest vampire. Ten looked up and saw Winwin use the momentum to his advantage. His captors had let go in surprise and the moon-child grabbed the spear in his shoulder and pulled it out in one swift movement. Ten watched as he stabbed one vampire in the chest, the male vampire cried out and collapsed, then Winwin headed straight for Jaehyun. Maja was on the ground, eyelids fluttering. She could barely stay conscious. Kun was up and awake, watching everything with wide eyes.   
  
It was chaos. Winwin and Jaehyun were hissing and fighting, three werewolves were tearing off body parts and in between were three sun-children, unable to get out because of the danger all around them.   
  
“Kun!” Ten called and sat up straight. “Maja!” He shouted and ducked before a pair of claws could get to him. Ten sat up again, but then someone pulled him away before Jaehyun’s body could land on top of him. Ten looked up at his moon and saw only pure anger in his eyes. Hate. It was hatred.   
  
Winwin was forcing the spear down with both hands around it and Jaehyun caught his arms, barely stopping it. Ten turned around in the embrace of his savior. His white clothes made it obvious. His long hair pulled back in a small bun was familiar. “Thought I’d forgotten you?” He asked and got Ten up on his feet. They both went to Kun’s side, untying his wrists. Kun went right past a wolf in order to get to Maja. Johnny ducked and went to help, leaving Ten by the wall. From there he watched his lover finally get through Jaehyun’s defenses and even if Jaehyun was evil, he saw the boy’s face get drenched with fear and some sort of realization that death was coming for him. On the ground with one wrist caught by Winwin’s left hand and his torso bared, he would die. Ten barely managed to call Winwin’s name before the spear tore through clothes, flesh, and bone. Right through the heart. The beautiful creature who had done such wicked things died on the spot. Winwin pulled back, but without another thought, he made sure to stab several times. Ten ran forward, grabbing onto his back. He needed him out of there. The werewolves were winning and Ten did not want them to get his moon as well.   
  
“He’s dead.” Ten assured the moon-child and tugged in him. Winwin fell off, and then let go of the spear, leaving it beside Jaehyun’s body. Johnny was carrying Maja out of there with Kun at his heels. Kun lingered in the door and Ten reached him. They fled into the night. The only thing Ten could think of, was what could’ve happened if he had told his mother. Maybe Maja wouldn’t have been cursed and maybe…

  
Maybe wasn’t enough.

  
He couldn’t turn back time. 


	8. Final

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter!!

  
Ten clung to Winwin’s wrist, keeping the moon-child upright. The other had one arm around Ten’s shoulders, and even though Ten’s shoulder ached, he couldn’t care less about his own pain. In front of him, he could see Kun following Johnny who was carrying Maja. The taller charged through the bottom of the woods, putting the cabin behind them and creating as much distance to the danger as possible. Ten couldn’t wait to see the white houses in front of him. Even though he knew they weren’t safe anymore, he knew that the one vampire stupid enough to wander through Sun Valley at night was dead.  
  
Jaehyun was dead.  
  
“Did he touch you?” Winwin asked as soon as they slowed down, their feet meeting the surface of the road, relieved sighs leaving their lips.  
  
Ten shook his head. “No.” He assured the other, but he knew a bruise on his face proved otherwise.  
  
“He is a fucking bastard.” Winwin seethed and Ten felt cold.  
  
“Was.” He corrected the other.  
  
Winwin seemed to understand. “Was.” He repeated and looked at the ground. Ten wrapped his left arm around Winwin’s waist.  
  
“The world is safer without him.”  
  
Winwin frowned. “Maybe.”  
  
Ten looked at him, the moon’s light only made him paler, but that was his God. The Moon favored him and Ten found that he looked beautiful under its gaze. Ten halted and felt the other stop too. The moonchild was still frowning, but now his eyes flickered to Ten’s, but they didn’t stay. Ten knew the other was conflicted about what he had done. The sun-child did not want the other to think that he hated him for taking revenge. Ten wanted to end Jaehyun too, he wanted to protect his friends and Winwin did that.  
  
He was quick; Ten reached up to cup Winwin’s jaw and gently pulled him closer while tip-toeing up to press his lips to the vampire’s. He did not want to fall behind, but he couldn’t help but savor the moment. They were free. At this moment they were free.  
  
He pulled back away, searching the vampire’s face. His eyes did not stray anymore, he looked at Ten with just the smallest smile and eyes that glinted. Ten smiled at the other. “Let’s go home.” He spoke quietly and the moon-child nodded and they continued after the others.

**☾  
  
**

_“Going out for a stroll?”  
  
The blond boy whose pale hand was reaching for the handle of the backdoor froze. He had his back turned to the creature sitting in the windowsill, it was hiding in what had been a kitchen for the servants that used to roam it. Dust had gathered on every surface and it danced like small specks in the moon’s light that streamed through the window. A small window in the door made the blond hair almost silver and it embraced the figure making it a silhouette.  
  
A low chuckle escaped the blond-haired figure. “Should’ve known you would creep around down here.” He said and turned around, a small snarl curling his lips. “Winwin.” He seethed.  
  
“My room is just as lonely as this dirty place.” The dark-haired vampire replied. His black eyes cold. “But you wouldn’t know that feeling, would you? Or do you?”  
  
“Oh, boo-hoo.” The blond mocked the other vampire. “Your mom will enjoy her time with my father, I am sure.” He grinned wickedly and it made the other vampire jump down from the windowsill.  
  
“She’s the last one,” Winwin stated, but his voice was not steady, and his words did not carry the weight he wished he could put on the other vampire’s shoulders. “This clan will die.” He spoke but Jaehyun merely smiled as if the other had said something humorous.  
  
“It won’t.” He replied and opened the wooden door. It creaked from lack of use. Winwin was left alone in the dark space, a frown on his face. _

_Winwin waited on the staircase leading to the kitchen. When Jaehyun entered it one level below, he would not know that a shadow was following him. The dark-haired vampire startled when the door opened and the blond made his move, he knew it was stupid to follow Jaehyun, but what could he do? Curiosity made his legs move to follow._

_  
_ _It was dangerous to be out at night, but the New Moon clan had people stationed around the Moon Village, keeping the peace by force. The werewolves were stupid and couldn’t control their temper, so if a vampire went alone around town… he was at risk._

_Still… The blond vampire did not seem to fear his surroundings. He was walking with a sort of spring in his step.  
  
Winwin watched him slip through the gates to the school, passing by a guard that ignored him. The dark-haired vampire came out from his hiding spot, once again left to wonder what intentions the other had. That night he turned back home._

_  
The next time Winwin did not hesitate. He was risking his life by passing through the gate following Jaehyun. The guard threw out his spear, one end silver the other wooden. Vampires could kill vampires, and somehow Winwin became very conscious of that as the wooden spear came near his chest.  
  
“I’m with him.” He said and pointed at Jaehyun. The guard frowned but knew that the vampire was from the same clan as him. He let him pass through as well and Winwin forced himself to breathe in; trying to calm his nerves.  
  
As Winwin passed by the halls of the school he couldn’t help but see a small boy with bronze skin and bright eyes. He felt like he betrayed the sun-child by walking on his streets at nighttime, like some predator. Yet his curiosity forced him to follow the blond vampire. He needed to know where he was headed.  
  
He did not go far into the town. Suddenly he turned down a court and Winwin had to run to another hiding spot in order to keep following him. From behind a small too well-trimmed green bush, he crouched down and watched the vampire wait by a house.  
  
From behind the house, coming through a white wooden gate a smaller boy came through, his hair black and his eyes wide. For just the shortest moment, Winwin thought it was Ten, but in the moon’s light, this boy looked much different. He seemed shy, but that did not apply to Jaehyun. Quickly the vampire approached the boy, forcing him up against the side of the house and kissing him passionately and deeply. Winwin frowned. He did not think of Jaehyun as someone who loved passionately enough to trespass into dangerous territory just to be able to be with the one he… no, Jaehyun couldn’t love.  
  
Winwin thought of Ten. He lived in this town and if Winwin could pass through as easily as this, maybe he could also visit Ten like this? It was dangerous, but… Winwin missed him.  
  
The boy was moaning and Winwin wanted to look away when the two started removing clothes. He turned to leave when something in the sun-child’s voice changed. Winwin turned to look at Jaehyun who had his jaws biting down on the space between the boy’s neck and shoulder. For a moment Winwin could taste just that slight sweetness of Ten’s blood when he bit down, letting his poison sedate the boy just a little. If he wasn’t mistaken, he could smell iron in the air.  
  
The sun-child was shuttering, eyes rolling into the back of his head and he seemed to struggle between inhaling and exhaling. Jaehyun, while still biting down forced himself into the boy, and Winwin grimaced. This was passion, but there wasn’t any love.  
  
Winwin retreated. He did not get any information from this trip. Other than Jaehyun being a sadistic jerk._

_“You should try and make some friends.” His mother had told him when he was younger. “I don’t like that you always keep to yourself. Go out and explore the castle.”_

_  
So Winwin did. He roamed the halls and found secret hiding spots. One narrow door let him upstairs to a small attic that had one round window at one end and a wall of old furniture in the other. By the window sat a blond boy with a book. He was reading intently when he noticed the intruder.  
  
“Who are you?”  
  
Winwin scoffed. “I know who you are.” He retorted and it made the blond boy snicker.  
  
“Doesn’t everyone?” He asked.  
  
Winwin walked towards the window to look outside. “That’s probably right.” He agreed and the other vampire closed his book.  
  
“So, who am I?”  
  
Winwin looked down at him. “Jaehyun.” He said and the boy nodded with a smile.  
  
“And you’re one of the few who was born out of love. What did your lovely parents decide to call you?”  
  
If this was counting as making friends, then maybe he could go tell his mom he had made one. He sat down with a small distance to the other. “Winwin.” He told him.  
  
_

_In middle school, there were no expectations to the kids at New Moon. There were only 3 of them in middle school and 4 in high school. Winwin walked with Jaehyun to school every day and in recess, they spent time outside together.  
  
Winwin had a lot of fun with Jaehyun and enjoyed sitting and listening to the other talk. They sat under the roof that allowed moon-children to be outside during the day. The roof was made by a large tree which was said to be a safe space for both sun and moon-children. Its crown stretched out far and wide and a small tunnel took them to its shade. Behind that tree, they sat together one day, and Winwin was sketching in his notebook when Jaehyun’s hand covered it.  
  
“Pay attention to me.” He pleaded and Winwin chuckled.  
  
“How? You demand so much.” He replied with a grin. Jaehyun leaned in over the other as he thought.  
  
“Hmm,” he hummed. Winwin’s back was flush against the tree to create distance. Jaehyun did the opposite. “Like this.” He then said daringly and pressed his lips to Winwin’s. The dark-haired vampire’s eyes widened in surprise, but when Jaehyun’s lips moved against his in a tentative way, Winwin tried to do the same. _

_When Winwin’s father died he knew something was off because his mother did not cry, she looked only frightened by the news. It was as if she saw the end to her immortal life. Maybe it was because she knew that without the love of her life, she could live no longer. Winwin felt her distance from him and yet somehow, she held onto him even tighter. He was told to stay with her in their room and one day; Jaehyun tried knocking on the door.  
  
Winwin’s mother opened it and at the sight of the blond boy, she raged. Jaehyun tried to send notes instead, hoping to avoid the female vampire’s rage, but Winwin did not want to read them. He understood that Jaehyun was not a friend he could have anymore. He did not want to spend time with the blond moon-child. Jaehyun’s notes stopped and Winwin found himself missing them. When he left the room to go to school, leaving his mother who looked anxious to be alone, he did not find Jaehyun waiting for him. Instead, he saw Jaehyun with the other moon-child Colm, the two of them ignored Winwin and it made the boy freeze on the spot. It was as if an icy wind had embraced him, and his cold body stopped working. Winwin tried to send a note back that night, hoping the other would understand.  
  
The two young vampires met up in their favorite spot. Winwin had been waiting for the other to arrive.  
  
When he arrived, he stood by the entrance, as if he did not want to waste time by moving closer.  
  
Winwin stood. “I’m sorry for not replying to your notes, Jaehyun. My mom did not want me to.”  
  
Jaehyun snickered. “This is what is wrong with you, Winwin. You and your ‘family’. That is not how it works with this Clan. Vampires are born alone, but they are united under their Ancient. You’re not independent. You cling onto people because that is what you think you’re supposed to do. Family is for the sun-children. We don’t do that here.”  
  
Winwin gawped. “What are you saying?” He asked, unable to hide the hurt in his voice.  
  
“I’m saying your father was weak. Your mother is Sun-blooded and selfish. Vampires can’t decide to be monogamous when our Clan’s future depends on unity. I’ve been taught in our politics, Winwin. Maybe you should too.”  
  
Winwin’s hands balled into fists and he stormed closer, grabbing Jaehyun’s shirt and shaking him. “You sound like the Old Bats.” He seethed and noticed a flicker of rage in Jaehyun’s eyes. “How did you change so fast?”  
  
Jaehyun smirked. “I did not change, Winwin. You must’ve been blinded.”  
  
“Truly,” Winwin stepped back, releasing Jaehyun’s shirt from his grip. “I must’ve pretended that I was friends with an honest person.”  
  
“Friends,” Jaehyun repeated and Winwin cocked a brow. Jaehyun huffed. “Alright.” He merely said and brushed down his shirt.  
  
Winwin noticed the way Jaehyun lingered. As if there was more to say. “I won’t be lonely.” He said and Jaehyun finally looked at him. “I don’t need to hang out with powerful vampires. I’m fine on my own with my mom. I won’t miss your company.”  
  
Jaehyun’s lips curled into what looked like a snarl. “You keep telling that to yourself.” He said and left. _

_When Winwin’s mother got taken, he went to the first place he could think of and that was Jaehyun’s room. Despite how their friendship ended when they were younger, he knocked on the door and asked for help, but the blond only laughed. What once had been a friendship had been forgotten. They had grown apart._

_Now. They were parted forever.  
  
_

**☾**

When they returned home, his parents were roaming the kitchen as if it wasn’t in the middle of the night. Ten hurried into the kitchen, distracting his parents while Johnny took Maja upstairs with Kun. Winwin covered his wound with one hand and leaned against the doorframe. Ten grabbed the back of a chair.  
  
“Mom,” he called. “Dad.” The two of them turned to him, but their gazes were off.  
  
“Hi,” his mom said and then looked at Winwin. “Ten will be home soon.” She said and continued working on what looked like a sandwich that had too much butter on it.  
  
Ten felt cold and even took a step back. It was like a slap to the face. She did not see him. Maybe she saw, but she did not recognize him. Ten looked back at the vampire and saw surprise. He turned back to his parents again. “I am home again.” He said clearly. “Your son, Ten, me, is home.”  
  
Ten’s mom looked confused, even caught in some sort of disbelief. “But, Ten was supposed…”  
  
“I am with friends, yes, but we decided to hang out here. In my room. I am home.” Ten tried again and saw his mother’s shoulders slouch. She put down the knife and shook her head. It looked like she was tasting something bad.  
  
“I-“  
  
Ten’s father passed by her and patted her back. “Ten is with a friend, honey-”  
  
“He is right here.” She said and even pointed at Ten. His dad stopped and stared at him, also in some kind of bewilderment.  
  
Ten made a small wave. “I’ll be upstairs.” He said exaggerating every word by pointing. He hurried over to the vampire and grabbed his wrist, dragging him out of the kitchen. “What the fuck?” He muttered. “He’s dead.”  
  
Winwin eyed the kitchen as they ascended the stairs. “It will wear off. He must have gotten pretty good.”  
  
“They wouldn’t have known I was dead-”  
  
“You’re alive.” Winwin was quick to interrupt and he made Ten stop before they reached the door. “You’re alive and you’re home. You’re safe.” The moon-child reached up to cup Ten’s cheeks and Ten winced when he brushed over the bruise on his face. The other sighed. “We made it.”  
  
Ten nodded. “Bruised but not broken.” He whispered and Winwin nodded, a frown on his face. This was another saying from the time of the war.  
  
“Bruised but not broken.” He repeated and Ten turned his head to press a kiss to Winwin’s palm.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
The vampire’s smile was wide. He did not get to answer before Johnny was at the door. “Maja needs food and water.”  
  
The two parted and nodded. They needed to bring Maja back to life before she would die and turn. Johnny looked worn out and he also looked pale… maybe a little ill. He did not stop to talk but went right past the two to get downstairs. Ten proceeded to go into the room instead, he did not want to look at his parents. Not while they were still charmed.

Maja had been placed in the guest room. Kun was cleaning her face and chest with a wet cloth. He was crying, but still speaking soft words in an attempt to console the girl. Ten watched it with an aching heart. She was cursed. Her dark blonde hair and her blue eyes would forever be. If her heart dared to stop, she would not die with it. Her blood would dry out in her veins and thirst for more, frozen in a state between life and death. She would be chained to the night, stolen from her God and brought beneath another. Ten wanted to console himself with the fact that she could try to live as long as possible until old age took her. Kun and Maja still had a life in front of them, but one wrong step and it would be stolen.

Johnny and Winwin passed by him, one with porridge on a tray and another with water. Carefully Kun first gave her water before feeding her. Her eyes were fixed on him as if she wanted to convince herself that he truly was there, that she was safe again. Johnny grabbed Ten’s arm and dragged him out of the room. Winwin followed behind.  
  
The taller stopped in the hallway looking over the entrance. A railing separated them from below, a wall full of paintings watching over them. The moon shone through the windows above the door, and Ten turned to look through them, seeing the hills rise up at a slow pace, most of the houses dark. Everyone was asleep, none of them knew what had happened at the cabin at Torn. People thought they were safe… Their lives hadn’t changed forever.  
  
“Ten, can I speak with you alone?” Johnny asked and looked at the moon-child that had taken a spot by Ten’s side.  
  
Ten only nodded. Winwin passed through in the space between the two and went to Ten’s room, without saying anything. He looked weak and beaten. Ten wished to comfort him but watched as he closed the door. Ten knew the vampire could hear them, so he kept his voice low. “Where were you?” He asked.  
  
Johnny sighed, he knew this question would come. “We realized it in the morning when we asked your parents if we could come in.” Johnny leaned against the railing. “They wouldn’t listen to us and so I decided that we had to do something ourselves. I wouldn’t be able to bring a moon-child through Sun Valley in broad daylight… So instead we decided to plan how we would rescue you guys. As soon as the sun’s rays were off the ground we went out. He ran ahead since he’s faster and I went with the swarm of other students, blending in.” Johnny went quiet, his lips pressed into a thin line and Ten felt like he was missing some details.  
  
“But what about the wolves?” He asked, prodding for more. Johnny avoided his eye.  
  
“We thought they would easily jump onto the wagon, messing up a few vampires would be fun for them, right? Well, they were cautious… and so I… convinced them.” Johnny tapped the railing and took a step back. Ten was frowning in concentration.  
  
“How?” He asked.  
  
“Not important.” Johnny waved him off.  
  
“Johnny.” Ten said sternly.  
  
“It really won’t make any difference. I saved you, that’s all that matters.” He grinned, but his grin faltered.  
  
There was a knot in Ten’s throat and it almost didn’t allow him to speak. “Johnny,” he said before feeling a wave of emotions rush through him. “You’re such an idiot!” He hissed and pushed at the other’s chest. “How dare you?” He asked. “You keep sacrificing yourself for me, going through suffering for me, for what? For what? What do you want?”  
  
“Well, you only seem to want moon-children, so I-”  
  
“You did not!” Ten stomped. “You did not let them do what I- (“I’m just kidding,” Johnny tried to say.) You did not!” Ten grabbed onto Johnny’s shirt, tugging up in his sleeves. “You’re not such an idiot…” He hissed but he grew quiet in his search. Johnny sighed when his shirt was tugged off his left shoulder. There it was. A fresh bite, still sore. Ten retreated a few steps, unable to think. Wolves… A werewolf bite?  
  
“You’re cursed!” Ten cried and Johnny looked somewhat annoyed.  
  
“And you aren’t?” He shot back. “In love with a vampire? You do know that is not a life worth living? You can’t even take him out of the house, people can never know. You’ll be living a lie!”  
  
Ten’s eyes widened. “If you think I’ll choose you after what you have done? You’ll be living on the edge. What if you cause someone to die? Just the slightest chance that you have a part in someone’s passing and the curse will take its place in your heart. Every full moon… so much pain and suffering.” Ten stared at Johnny’s chest. “You think I’m suffering with Winwin?” He asked. “I was suffering every day but now… now I have something to look forward to when I come home. Now I have found meaning in life, and Johnny, stop looking for that meaning in me. I can’t give it to you.”  
  
Johnny groaned. “You think I only did it for you? Where would Kun and Maja be, if I didn’t do this? Where would your boyfriend be? I am not here just pining for your love. I know you don’t think I deserve it and maybe I don’t? After all, I tried to love girls while staring at my best friend’s face through the night, knowing he is the one I want. I knew we couldn’t be, because of the law, but I thought… at least… at least we would be lonely together.”  
  
Ten frowned. “Johnny.”  
  
“He did not make me realize that I liked… that I loved you. I knew that. He just made me realize that maybe… maybe taking the risk would’ve been worth it.” Johnny sighed. “Now I’ve taken the risk. I kept my promise and I kept you safe. Now there’s nothing you can demand from me anymore. I’m leaving.”  
  
Ten’s eyes widened, and he hurried forwards as the taller turned his back on him. “You can’t!” He gasped and tugged in the other. “You can’t leave.”  
  
Johnny’s jaw clenched, and he ripped his arm out of Ten’s grip, pushing the smaller off him with a strength he had never used on Ten before. The smaller did not admit defeat. “Let me go, Ten,” Johnny said through gritted teeth and the two got in a fight of pushing and pulling and at some point, it wasn’t clear who did what. “Please let me go.” Johnny pleaded and Ten only shook his head, tears streaming down his face.  
  
“I’m sorry, Johnny.” Ten cried, holding onto Johnny’s sleeves with an iron grip. Johnny was trying to pry the other’s hands off. “I’m sorry for treating you like that. I’m sorry for being selfish.”  
  
Johnny laughed and started to try harder at escaping the other’s grip, Ten whimpered. It hurt.  
  
“It’s too late.” The taller stated.  
  
The door to Ten’s room opened. “Ten, let him go.” The moon-child instructed as he appeared in the door.  
  
“I will not.” Ten replied and Johnny groaned and gripped Ten’s hand so hard it made the boy cry out in pain. The vampire shot forward and closed his hands around Johnny’s wrist.  
  
“Stop it.” He demanded. This did not work. Johnny used his free hand to reach out and grab onto the front of Winwin’s shirt.  
  
“You don’t tell me what to do.” He growled. “I saved your miserable life.” He spat and pushed Winwin into the wall, a painting came crashing down and so did the vampire’s restraints. Ten cried out when the vampire charged at the sun-child, forcing Johnny into the railing. It creaked warningly under his weight, threatening to give in. Ten still held onto one arm leaving Johnny with his left hand to defend himself.  
  
Kun stepped out of his room. “What is going on?!” He shouted.  
  
Ten knew he should’ve let Johnny go when he saw the other’s expression of agony. His wet cheeks glistened in the moon’s light and Ten wished he could let go, but he did not. Winwin managed to block Johnny’s arm and send one fist to the taller’s jaw. Ten released his grip in surprise.  
  
Johnny sent one push in Ten’s direction before he grabbed onto the vampire’s shirt, forcing him into the wall and lifting one hand to send a blow to the vampire’s perfect face. Ten crashed into the railing with a force that sent a cry through the wooden railing.  
  
“Ten!” Kun exclaimed.  
  
Winwin took the first blow without trying to block it. A thud sounded when Johnny’s fist collided with the vampire’s face.  
  
Time had slowed down. Ten watched Winwin stare up at Johnny in anger as gravity started pulling in him. Kun was running forwards, but Ten did not bounce off the railing, instead, he gripped onto it with both hands. It gave one warning snap, and for a short moment, Ten stayed in place. He knew if he moved the wood would break and let him fall through, but the longer he stayed there the more it was giving in. It was only a matter of time.  
  
Johnny turned around and Ten looked at his best friend and then at the moon-child. The love of his life. He tried to lean forward, reaching out a hand, hoping it would be held onto. With one warning crack, the railing opened up as the wood broke off, letting his body through.

**☾**

_Winwin found himself alone, but not for the first time in his life. He decided to spend more time on school and as High School began, he found solitude in Advanced Art Classes. He also found a face that sent sparks through his heart every time he laid his eyes on the beautiful dark eyes and bronze skin. Some ancient instinct within him wanted to claim that sun-child, steal him away from the sun’s light and bring him to the darkness, but all he did was steal glances. The sun-child had two friends that he met up with in breaks and yet, in Art Class, there was something that Winwin recognized. The two of them never spoke the first years. When the partying began, Winwin mingled with other vampires, drinking with them at the cabin and ending up by the lake to sit there, staring at it with an empty heart._

_  
Until one night when the sun-child appeared like a glowing figure, walking towards the lake with a look of loneliness on his face. His eyes stared at the moon with a longing Winwin recognized and so he gathered his courage and walked up to him._

_  
This was passion, he realized as he pressed kisses to Ten’s back. This was a mutual need and longing that was satisfied when their lips met. The boy with a bright smile sounded beautiful in the darkness and Winwin knew the Sun was his God, but the Moon was gentle to him and welcoming and he faced it with such courage.  
  
The nights after when Winwin watched his mother read in silence he was drawing Ten’s hands gripping the carpet. So little words were exchanged between them, but it was as if they did not need to speak. Winwin wondered if that was how his mother and father felt with each other. This strong pull that left no doubt. _

_  
One of the last nights he had with his mother, he talked about it and he knew, that truly he had found someone he wanted to spend his life with._

_  
But he couldn’t walk in the sun, and he would never wish to damn Ten to the darkness._

_The sound was enough to scar the three boys forever. A small cry left Ten’s lips when he collided with the tiled floor. His body succumbed to the harsh ground that did not bend or give in. Kun covered his mouth, holding in a scream. Johnny slowly stepped forwards, standing just by the stairs and letting his eyes meet the sight of Ten on the tiles of the foyer. Blood was starting to spread from his head, and he breathed in small and quick breaths.  
  
Winwin stood right where Ten had been, he wasn’t fast enough to catch his sun and he had watched him land. The vampire crouched down to jump and Kun bolted for the stairs. Johnny stood frozen. _

_Ten’s parents came running from the kitchen. “My boy!” Ten’s mother cried at the sight and Kun went over to her and wrapped an arm around her. Winwin sat with one of Ten’s hands in his, brushing the boy’s bangs out of his face. Ten’s eyes were wide and clear.  
  
“I don’t want to go.” He whispered and looked into his lover’s eyes. “Please.”  
  
Winwin had prepared himself for many things. He had prepared himself for the future of Ten growing old, of his hair greying and wrinkles appearing on his skin, but he had not prepared himself for their time to be cut short. Ten’s mother fell to her knees, afraid of coming closer to the boy whose bones had broken. _I’m not fragile _. He had said and yet his body broke like glass. “Please.” He whispered.  
  
Winwin was overwhelmed by the smell of blood, its scent driving his fangs into his own lips and as he watched life leave Ten, something within him craved to be the one to end it. He damned their Gods._

_  
“Do it.” Ten’s father said, dropping to his knees beside Winwin. Snapping the vampire out of his grief. “I know how it works.”_

_  
Winwin sniffled. He looked at the blood again and then turned to look at Kun and Ten’s mother. Her eyes that had been so caring, for once a stranger that had cared for him, now looked at him with approval. Had she known? Had she known that they loved each other? Had she known that Ten was in love with the Moon?_

_  
She saw him as a creature worth living, she thought his life as precious. If she did, then people could see Ten’s life under the moon as precious as well. Maybe Ten would not be damned in the darkness, as long as his people loved him… Then Ten wouldn’t be miserable._

_  
Winwin had not felt miserable with this family, and if he could do one thing for them. Then he would break another law. For the love of his life, he would break them all._

_  
Ten’s breathing slowed when the moon-child leaned down to press a kiss to his lips. Then Winwin lifted his wrist and bit down, holding it in front of Ten’s mouth. Ten’s lips were warm and soft on his cold skin and he felt the little blood he had in his veins leave his body, draining him and bringing the curse of a life on pause to the boy he loved. Ten slowly stopped drinking, his eyes that once had been fixed on Winwin now closing. The crimson pool of blood was his red backdrop when his skin turned a sickly pale, all glow gone, all life gone from his body. Winwin pressed his wrist to his chest, watching his lover die._

**☾**

The first time he finally accepted blood to run down his throat, he had driven himself to a point where only instincts were left. Somehow, he could hear a voice echo, but all he felt was the pulse under his fingertips weakening as he gulped on what once had had a sickening scent, but now it tasted sweet. At some point his sanity came back and he pulled back. In front of him he could see a pale face and wine-colored hair. The face was golden and warm from the light that streamed through the windows of the hut they lived in. The starry sky above them twinkled, and Ten knew that soon he would know the patterns on that sky by heart.  
  
“Are you satisfied?” The other vampire asked him, grinning. “Finally, ready to go say hi to Sun Valley?”  
  
Ten moved away from the animal lying in the grass, cringing at the sight of its bloody coat of wool. This had once been a grassing sheep, now it was dead. “Not like this.” He stated and wiped the blood off his chin, but he only smeared the red liquid.  
  
The moon-child in front of him laughed. “Well, if we got to follow our plan it was to first let your family know that you are well and find out where the hell Johnny went.”  
  
Ten nodded, thinking back to the time when Winwin explained to him what had happened after he had died. Johnny had vanished and Winwin had been quick to explain what it meant to be a new vampire. His father had taken them to this cabin and delivered a few sheep for them. Winwin had told them to stay away until Ten’s hunger died down. It took him a few days to wake up and even though he was hungry, the first thing he did was use his new-found strength to pin Winwin down. Not that the other vampire protested.  
  
But when Winwin told him to feed on a sheep; Ten stared into the brown eyes of the creature and then ran back inside. For a whole week, he starved until a point where all he saw was red. Winwin was sitting cross-legged in front of him, a calm smile on his lips. It was as if he had expected it to happen.  
  
“Well, we can’t let him run too far away can we. What if he hurts himself?” Ten asked and got up, leaving the dead animal behind with a guilty look sent its way. The other vampire followed him inside.  
  
“Or hurts somebody else? We can only be sure that the curse has set in by now. The full moon is in a few days.”  
  
Ten sighed. “I did this to him.” He said and went to the sink to wash his face. Winwin leaned against the wall beside it.  
  
“He saved our lives.” He said and Ten stopped, leaning onto the sink.  
  
“You’re right.” He sighed. “Which is why we can’t leave him behind.” He said and stared into the mirror. No one was there. He ignored the drop of his heart and turned to Winwin, raising his brows. “How do I look?” He asked.  
  
The other vampire grinned. “Lovely,” he came closer and pressed a kiss to Ten’s forehead. “You look lovely.”

Now Ten’s dream about a united world was put to the test. Yet he did not think it would include him. He did not think he would be the one pleading for acceptance like this, but he was. He did not want to have to leave. The dark magic of the Moon saved his life and he would say he was still alive to some extent.  
  
His mother and father did not see anything different in their son. They embraced him and smiled and Ten held his breath most of the time. Ten’s mother was working with the Council, trying her best to make them accept her suggestions.

She suggested for them to build a village in between the two villages where those caught in between could live.

The Eclipse’s Glade. She wanted to call it, surrounded by the woods, with connections to both the Sun and Moon.

Ten bid Kun and Maja goodbye as he and Winwin went into the woods. Somewhere out there Johnny was hiding. Ten wanted to assure him that he had a home to come back to. He had let him down. Now he wanted to make up for that. He knew that they had hurt each other but in the end… they would always be best friends, and best friends have each other’s backs.

Running side by side, the stars being their guide, the sun- and moon-child became one. Ten did not want to call himself a moon-child, because he was born under the Sun. No, if anything, he was now both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is over! :((( But I loved being able to explore more of the universe and expanding it. I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I did. If you have any ideas for more ships or themes to explore, I'm always open to new ideas. 
> 
> I'm a writer on AFF as Tripping-Panda where I have many NCT stories. Though I feel like I'm leaning towards using ao3 more. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! <3


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